Sibat (front left) at the Religious Freedom and Nation Building Forum.
KUCHING: The Dayak National Congress (DNC) has called for Sarawak to be on guard against being influenced by religious extremists.
While applauding the Sarawak government for banning controversial preacher Zakir Naik and other religious extremists from entering the state, DNC said Sarawakian leaders must not be silent out of political correctness when there are signs of extremism infiltrating society or when religion is being misused for political gain.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Religious Freedom and Nation Building Forum yesterday, organising chairman Patrick Sibat Sujang said DNC is firm in its stand that religious freedom in Sarawak must be protected, including the rights of non-Malay Muslim converts to return to their original religions.
“In Sarawak, apostasy should not be a crime. It is the individual’s right to choose his or her own religion because faith is a personal choice. There is no compulsion in religion. Therefore, religion should not be legislated,” he said.
Sibat pointed out that freedom of religion is a right guaranteed in international human rights law, including in a number of core human rights instruments.
He explained this encompasses the freedom to profess, practise, and propagate one’s religion.
Sibat noted that the Federal Constitution also enshrines a number of legal protections with respect to freedom of religion.
“Indeed when Sarawak and Sabah formed Malaysia together with the Federation of Malaya, East Malaysia was guaranteed that there shall never be a state religion for Sarawak and for Sabah.
“But since the formation of Malaysia, ethnicity and religion have often been utilised by political parties to advance their agenda. This has resulted in the rise of religious intolerance, which is a pressing concern, especially in Malaya, and is now creeping into Sarawak and Sabah,” he said.
Sibat lamented there is little protection for persons who wish to change their religion, saying this situation has had a particularly detrimental impact on already at-risk populations, such as religious minorities.
According to him, countries with strong religious freedom tend to be more stable and prosperous; by contrast, lack of religious freedom leads to increased violence, political corruption, strife, and national unrest.