The council has called on Ismail Sabri to clear the air on the purported new law. — Bernama photo
KUCHING (Sept 8): The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to clear the air on plans to enact a new law affecting non-Muslims.
In a statement issued by its office in Kuala Lumpur, the council said statements made by Deputy Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary on the new law had caused great concern.
“The MCCBCHST calls upon the prime minister to clarify the issue before causing further anxiety among our citizens,” said the statement, which has since been widely shared on social media platforms.
Ahmad Marzuk was quoted as saying the Control and Restriction on the Propagation of Non-Muslim Religions Bill was being drafted.
While its contents have yet to be revealed, Ahmad Marzuk had said the Bill was a response to the High Court ruling that non-Muslims can use the word ‘Allah’.
MCCCBCHST pointed out that non-Muslims’ rights to religious propagation – except to Muslims – is protected under Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
“Since the deputy minister has not withdrawn his statement, the MCCBCHST wishes to point out that there are many flaws in his statement and wishes to remind that Article 11 (1) of the Federal Constitution clearly gives the right to every person ‘to profess and practise his religion and, subject to clause (4), to propagate it’. This means every person has the fundamental right to practise and propagate his religion, subject to clause (4),” said the council.
On a related matter, MCCBCHST welcomed the statement by de facto Law Minister Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that there are no proposals to enact laws to restrict or control the development of non-Muslim religions and neither has the matter been brought to the Cabinet.
“Thus, this statement clearly contradicts with the earlier statement made by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary,” said the council.
Yesterday, Wan Junaidi had said the Bills mentioned by Ahmad Marzuk have yet to be brought to the Cabinet as the states have to be consulted first.
The minister noted that most states already have laws on the propagation of non-Muslim religions, except for Sarawak, Sabah, and Penang.
“Politicians like to talk but on the question of implementation – if a state does not agree, then it won’t happen,” Wan Junaidi was quoted as saying in news reports.