Viralled photo on the four proposed new bills.
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) will continue to stand alongside the people to fight and defend the freedom of religion as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Referring to a viralled photo of the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs)’s Empowerment Roadmap Plan, which showed four proposed new bills, PBS president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said that the matter was never discussed at the Federal Cabinet level.
“The proposed bills on Islamic matters referred to by Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmad Marzuk Shaari have, thus far, never been brought to Cabinet either for discussion or approval.
Maximus Ongkili
“So it is either still at the preliminary level and internal to the Islamic Affairs Division of Prime Minister’s Department,” Ongkili, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), explained.
He stressed that if the matter was raised, he believes partner parties in the Perikatan Nasional government, such as PBS, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), MCA, MIC, and others would have taken their stand and position to oppose if such proposed Islamic legislations impinge or affect non-Muslims’ freedom to practise their religions.
“PBS is confident that the new Prime Minister Datuk Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will honour these guarantees which have become treasured assets of our nation since the formation of the Federation. This is especially so, in light of the Prime Minister’s vision of building a Malaysian Family.
“We (PBS) will stand strong, along with the rakyat to fight and defend the freedom of religion, as we have long enjoyed, as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution and MA63.
“We assure the Malaysian public, especially Sabahans, that PBS will always be faithful and true to our political struggle and goals, including defending religious freedom,” Ongkili stressed.
In the viralled photo, the four proposed new bills on Wakaf, Mufti, Syariah Court, and Control and Restrictions on the Expansion of non-Islam Religions.