KUCHING, Sept 7 — Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg today said the state owes its peace and racial harmony to the respect that Sarawakians have for the religions of one another.
“We are very fortunate because we have great respect for the religious beliefs of one another. We don’t fight over religious issues,” he said at the presentation of RM30 million fund to the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) here.
He said “doa” or prayer recital will never become an issue in Sarawak, unlike in the Peninsular Malaysia.
“What is doa? It is when you need blessings from God. Just now (at the start of the official function), we have the doa recited by the Archbishop of Kuching Simon Poh.
“We respect whatever faiths you have. You have your doa and in our way, we have our own doa at the same time,” the chief minister.
Abang Johari said doa is also asking God for inspiration and in his case, he is asking God to broaden the state’s revenue base.
“I tell you. I got the inspiration to impose five per cent sales tax on oil and gas after my prayers. After the prayers, I looked at our Federal Constitution, and found out that we have the right under the Ninth Schedule to impose sales tax on commodities,” he said, adding that oil and gas are commodities.
The chief minister stressed that no one should judge who is holier and who is not, saying that the power to judge belongs to God alone.
“If you say that man is not holy and you are holy, it is not your power, but God’s power, to judge,” he said.
“How can you usurp God’s power?” he asked.
Abang Johari said he will continue to impose a ban on religious bigots and extremists coming to Sarawak.
He said the presence of these groups of people in Sarawak will create racial and religious disharmony.
“No one will benefit if we fight over religions because we will always live in fear. Luckily we have South China Sea separating us from the other side,” he said.
He said as the chief minister he must be fair to followers of the various faiths in Sarawak, and that he was following the footsteps of his predecessor Pehin Seri Adenan Satem Satem by treating all religions fairly.
