Sarawak Patriot Association chairman Datuk Lau Pang Heng
KUCHING (Sept 12): The Sarawak Patriot Association (SPA) has written to the Prime Minister Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Yakoob yesterday, to voice its disappointment on the intended enactment of a Bill to control and restrict non-Islamic religions.
The intention was announced by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary recently.
SPA expresses strong views and objections to the intention, said its chairman Datuk Dr Lau Pang Heng.
Firstly, it is against the Inter-Governmental committee report (IGC) 1962 Malaysia Bill (Act), Annex A to Malaysia Agreement 1963, and the Federal Constitution under Clause 15 of the IGC report 1962 under the reading of Religion, Clause 15 (2) states clearly the guarantee for religion freedom contained in Article 11 should be retained, he said.
Secondly, the guarantee for religious freedom is contained in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which stated ‘Every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.’
Thirdly, under Federal Constitution Article 3 (1) stated that ‘Islam is the religion of the Federation but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.’
“In the IGC report of 1962 which was presented before Sarawak, North Borneo, Singapore, and Malaya came together as partners to form Malaysia, it was guaranteed that religious freedom contained in Article 11 shall be retained,” said Lau in a statement Friday.
Therefore any attempt to legislate a new Federal Law to control and restrict the propagation of any religion is unconstitutional for Sarawak and Sabah.
It seems the deputy minister was trying to divert the attention away from the current Covid-19 pandemic and deteriorating economy in Malaysia by proposing this Bill, he added.
“SPA urges the Federal Government to focus completely on managing the pandemic and resuscitating our failing economy. More and more people and businesses are suffering every day. There must not be any distraction from overcoming this challenge.”