KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob should publicly clarify a deputy minister’s claim that laws were being drafted to control non-Muslim religions, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said today.
In a statement, Lim said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary’s remarks about the proposed laws has caused anxiety, including among the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST).
He said the PM should make it a priority to explain matters to the council.
“Although the de facto Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has said the Bills mentioned by Marzuk have yet to be brought to the Cabinet as the states had to be consulted first, Ismail Sabri’s meeting with the MCCBCHST would be a useful occasion to reassure Malaysians that the government is committed to both the objectives and the principles of Rukun Negara to strengthen unity in a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation,” he said.
“Although we have just celebrated our 64th National Day and will be celebrating our 58th Malaysia Day in a week’s time, there are increasing signs that the five principles of Rukun Negara, namely Belief in God, Loyalty to King and Country, Supremacy of the Constitution, Rule of Law and Courtesy and Morality are not getting the support of the government as in the seventies and eighties.
“Ismail Sabri’s meeting with the MCCBCHST will be a good occasion for the new prime minister to renew and reaffirm support for the objectives and principles of the Rukun Negara,” he said.
Ahmad Marzuk had stated earlier this week that the government plans to draft four new Shariah laws, including the Control and Restriction on the Propagation of Non-Muslim Religions Bill.
The others are the Wakaf Bill, Mufti Bill and Syariah Court Bill.
He said several other legislations such as the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) will be amended under a five-year plan (2020-2025).
