PENAMPANG: Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) must allow the enrollment of more deserving non-Muslim Bumiputra students from Sabah and Sarawak.
The call was made by a group of 14 individuals (Schedule 1), who are the Pioneering students from Sabah to be enrolled in the first Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) in the country in Seremban in 1972.
Rahim Sulaiman, the group’s spokesperson, said that as Sabahan MRSM Pioneering students of various faiths, they have the duty to remind both students and the relevant authorities to the provisions of bumiputra’s education as well as the practice of religious faiths as stipulated under the Malaysian Constitution.
He said this during a press conference held after they paying a courtesy call to acting UPKO president and Tuaran Member of Parliament at the party’s headquarters here yesterday.
Rahim said that they fully supported Madius’ call for more deserving non-Muslim Bumiputra students all over Sabah and Sarawak to enroll themselves and be enrolled in MRSM.
“In this regard, we would like to appeal to Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, who is responsible for MARA’s affairs to ensure that those in the authorities under his watch do not practise any racial discriminations in the enrollment of deserving Non-Muslim students from Sabah and Sarawak.
“We would also like to appeal and remind Datuk Seri Shafie and MARA, that Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution provides for the special quota for deserving Bumiputra students, Sabah and Sarawak included, regardless of faiths, to be enrolled in MARA run colleges.
“As such, we appeal for more intake of deserving Non-Muslim students from Sabah and Sarawak in MRSM and other MARA run institutions such as UiTM,” he said.
The group of pioneer MRSM students also appealed to MARA and its Education arms of MRSM to adhere at all times to the provision of Article 3(1) that the practice of faiths other than Islam are guaranteed under the Malaysian Constitution.
In this regard, the practice of the Non–Islamic faiths of MRSM’s students should not be restricted by the school authorities ever. In this regard as well, the enforcement of any Islamic Code of Faith or Conduct to any of the Non–Muslim MRSM Students should not be done at all, they stressed.
“We would like to reiterate that the role of MRSM is to give top class science education to all students regardless of race and faiths. It is not the role of MRSM to be preaching the Islamic faith and restricting the Non–Islamic faiths of its students other than that provided in the classroom and the curriculum of religious studies.
“While we fully acknowledge and respect the place of Islam as the National religion, we would like to remind MARA that the absolute authority in dealing with the Islamic practices in Sabah and Sarawak are the respective Islamic Departments of both the states, namely Jabatan Hal Ehwal Islam Negeri Sabah and Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak,” they said.
They felt that the overzealous attitudes of some of the Mara officials in enforcing the Islamic Code of Conducts to include the Non–Muslim Students as reported in the media, if true is indeed saddening.
“We would also like to remind MARA that Article 11(1), 11(4), 12(1) and Article 8(2) provide that the propagation and management of other faiths in accordance to their chosen faiths are guaranteed as well.
“As such there should not be any discrimination to all Non-Muslim students in practicing their faiths as provided under the Malaysian Constitution. We appeal to MARA to adhere to those provisions and to practice common sense as it was practiced during the Pioneering days in MRSM Seremban,” they said.
Rahim and a few of the group’s members also shared their experiences, especially from the Non–Muslim’s perspective of how life were in those days.
According to them, in those days there were no restrictions in reading and carrying the Bible in the dormitory and other places in college and they had a Christian teacher as Mentor in giving guidance to the students.
Those who wanted to attend Mass were given transportation by the Christian teacher to go to Church every Sunday and there were no attempts by any Muslim teachers, including the principal to enforce any Islamic code of conducts or teachings to the Christian students.
“There was no racial discriminations or name calling by any Muslim students in college. In fact, we lived in harmony as brothers regardless of faiths,” they said.
A group member Abdul Kadir Haji Damsal also urged parents from the KadazanDusun Murut community to enroll their children in MRSM and not let statements by the overzealous officers from MARA prevent their children from getting better education.
He pointed out that parents should not worry about sending their children to MRSM.
Rahim added that the group would try to meet with Shafie to discuss the matter further.
Earlier this month, MRSM deputy director (timbalan pengetua) Rizalmi Dahaman was reported to have admitted the existence of guidelines which was not favourable towards the non-Muslims students but “not only was it not implemented, the MRSM actually ensures our Christian students were able to go to church every Saturdays or Sundays and the likes.”
The MRSM guidelines, which went viral in social media last month, forbid all activities of any religion other than Islam to be carried out in the college. The rules also forbid the exhibition of any symbol of religion other than Islam. Under the same rules, non-halal food is also not allowed to be brought in.