KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah urged the public today to speak up and discuss religious freedom in the country as keeping quiet would risk other state governments following suit in introducing the controversial hudud law.

She said there is currently no platform for discussions on Islam, and people are living in fear as religious authorities appear to be wielding their power unnecessarily.

“Whether you are moderate or not, you should speak up. We cannot be silent anymore because if we keep silent, then it is not just about Kelantan, it will be Malacca, it will be Selangor and many other states will actually follow suit.

“And you cannot tell me that hudud does not affect other religion,” she said at a roundtable discussion on the Future of Religious Freedom, at the Chulan Tower here.

She said even without hudud, there are already clashes between Muslims and non-Muslims, such as cases involving the conversion of children without the permission and knowledge of the other parent.

The activist said Malaysians are not merely restricted when it comes to freedom of expression, but in almost every other issue.

Chin added that the government should play the role of “referee” when there is a disagreement over religious issues, and not religious bodies.

“There is no platform to have any form of discussion. The moment you talk about Islam, if you are non-Muslim, even now, Muslims, if you talk about Islam, you are either against Islam, something that is deviant, and you are branded,” she said.

The activist observed that those who dare to engage in discussion on religious topics are now choosing to go “totally silent” out of fear of being arrested by the police.

By keeping silent, she said, the religious authorities are given free rein to interpret and execute Shariah laws.

Taking a swipe at PAS, she said the party leaders had lied to voters when it declared itself a “political party for all”, “cheated” Malaysians into voting for them and then pushing for the implementation of hudud without consultation with relevant stakeholders.

“We have allowed these people, these conservative ideas to grow without us having a say because we are so fearful that if we say anything it will offend the Muslims, or, we would be thrown into jail,” she said.

On Thursday, every Kelantan state assemblyman voted to pass the amendments to the hudud laws, except for the sole PKR representative who abstained.

PAS Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad had said the party is expected to table the two private members’ bills in the next Parliamentary sitting to seek approval to enforce the laws in Kelantan.