Brunei poised to introduce sharia law
Brunei has delayed the introduction of strict sharia law due to what it says are "unavoidable circumstances".
The proposed tough Islamic criminal punishments, due to be implemented this week, have drawn condemnation from the UN’s human rights office.
An official told the Brunei Times the laws would begin “in the very near future”.
The new criminal code proposes phased in punishments, including execution by stoning for offences such as sodomy and adultery, severing of limbs for theft, and flogging for violations ranging from abortion to alcohol consumption.
Brunei currently has a dual-track legal system of civil courts along with sharia courts handling non-criminal issues like marital and inheritance cases.
The UN’s human rights office said this month it was "deeply concerned”, adding that penalties like stoning are classified under international law as "torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment".
Nearly 70% of Brunei’s 400,000 people are Muslim Malays while about 15% are non-Muslim ethnic Chinese.
Commentators say the biggest change could occur within the royal household.
Brunei’s royal rulers have a long history of showing off their excessive wealth, generated by the country’s substantial oil and gas assets.
Prince Jefri Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei’s elder brother, nicknamed the Playboy Prince, was famous for his partying.
Vanity Fair once wrote in an article that Prince Jefri "has probably gone through more cash than any other human being on earth".
Ian Jarrett
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