KUCHING, March 2 — Lawyers should be “more sensitive” when handling religious cases which has the potential to be an explosive powder keg in a multiracial, multicultural society.
“Lawyers who are politicians should be more sensitive in handling any cases including those involving religion. Regardless of whether they are Christian or Muslim they should be more sensitive, and we all should learn from past incidents,” Sarawak Tourism, Art, Culture, Youth and Sport minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah was reported saying by The Borneo Post on its website today.
The state minister was commenting on the ruckus after the Tuesday decision by the Federal Court here to defer to the Sarawak Shariah courts on the jurisdiction to hear conversions out of Islam.
According to Abdul Karim, a message inviting the public to go to court for the apostasy hearing had circulated on social media days before the actual hearing.
“When it virals, so many people will turn up… same goes to the native customary right case proceeding,” he was quoted saying, referring to the land tussles involving the Sarawakian indigenous, the government and companies awarded rights to develop the land or fell trees there for timber.
He added that villagers travelled from Sibu, Bintulu or Baram for the NCR cases trial and felt that this should not be encouraged.
Abdul Karim insisted that there were no physical attacks during the apostasy cases and that the situation was under control.
He admitted that the government could not stop people from claiming that the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh was attacked but said it is “a good lesson for all”.
The Association of Churches Sarawak has since lodged a police report on the incident.
Abdul Karim also criticised a murder threat against State PKR chairman Baru Bian which was posted on Facebook.
“Whoever the individual, I hope he is not serious and don’t get too emotional and threaten others. Malaysia Communication and Multimedia Commission and other relevant authority should be more alert and to ensure such similar incidents are handled well,” he said.
Baru Bian represented the four individuals in the apostasy case on Tuesday.
The Federal Court on Tuesday had ruled that the Sarawak Shariah Court has jurisdiction over four Sarawakians’ applications — a Malay Muslim and three indigenous Muslim converts — to be officially recognised as Christians.
