Kaedah pembuktian melalui dokumen digital di mahkamah Syariah: Kajian perbandingan antara Malaysia dan Arab Saudi

[Method of evidence through digital documents in the Shariah court: A comparative study between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia]

Abstract

Dokumen berbentuk digital telah diguna pakai dalam segenap aspek kehidupan manusia meliputi perbankan, pendidikan, pentadbiran kerajaan, perniagaan dalam talian, urusan guaman, perubatan, serta komunikasi sosial. Teknologi ini juga telah memperkenalkan ruang dan peluang baharu dalam sistem pembuktian di Mahkamah seluruh dunia. Di Malaysia dokumen digital telah digunakan secara meluas di Mahkamah Sivil. Sungguhpun begitu, penggunaan dokumen digital di Mahkamah Syariah masih terhad. Hal yang sama juga berlaku di Mahkamah Arab Saudi walaupun sistem undang-undangnya telah mengiktiraf dokumen digital melalui Evidence Law 2022. Justeru, kajian ini bertujuan menjelaskan hukum pemakaian dokumen digital menurut syarak dan undang-undang serta menganalisis penerimaan dan pemakaian dokumen digital sebagai bukti dalam prosiding Mahkamah Syariah Malaysia dan Arab Saudi. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan reka bentuk analisis perbandingan bagi menilai dan membandingkan pendekatan Malaysia dan Arab Saudi terhadap penerimaan dokumen digital sebagai salah satu kaedah pembuktian. Data yang dikumpulkan melalui kajian kepustakaan kemudiannya dianalisis menggunakan analisis kandungan dan perbandingan. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa kedua-dua negara telah mengiktiraf bukti digital melalui kerangka undang-undang masing-masing, namun terdapat beberapa kekangan dalam mengaplikasikannya. Kedua-dua negara masih bergelut dengan kekangan praktikal dan ketiadaan garis panduan seragam serta ancaman keselamatan siber. Kajian ini mencadangkan agar Mahkamah Syariah di Malaysia memperkemas dasar pembuktian digital melalui latihan profesional, penggubalan garis panduan yang khusus, serta mengetatkan rantaian kawalan (chain of custody) dengan cara menyediakan log audit lengkap yang menunjukkan siapa yang mengakses, menyimpan atau mengubah sesuatu bukti digital.

Digital documents have been utilized in various aspects of human life, including banking, education, government administration, online business, legal affairs, healthcare and social communication. This technology has also introduced new avenues and opportunities within the evidentiary systems of courts around the world. In Malaysia, digital documents have been widely used in Civil Courts. However, their application in the Shariah Courts remains limited. A similar situation is observed in the courts of Saudi Arabia, even though its legal system has recognized digital documents under the Evidence Law 2022. Therefore, this study aims to explain the legal position of digital document usage according to Shariah and statutory law, and to analyze the acceptance and application of digital documents as evidence in the Shariah court proceedings of Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. This research adopts a qualitative approach with a comparative analysis design to evaluate and compare the approaches taken by Malaysia and Saudi Arabia regarding the acceptance of digital documents as a method of evidence. Data collected through literature review were analyzed using content and comparative analysis. The findings indicate that both countries have recognized digital evidence within their respective legal frameworks. However, there are several constraints in its implementation. Both countries still face practical challenges, a lack of standardized guidelines, and cybersecurity threats. This study suggests that the Shariah Courts in Malaysia enhance digital evidence procedures through professional training, the development of specific guidelines, and a more stringent chain of custody, by implementing a complete audit log that records who accessed, stored or altered a digital piece of evidence.