By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 21: Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) permanent chairman Dr John Brian Anthony urged the Sarawak government to reconsider the proposal to introduce wakaf laws into the Land Code until guaranteed that Sarawak’s multicultural fabric and State autonomy will not be compromised.
In a press statement today, PBDS permanent chairman Dr John Brian Anthony said that while the party respects religious freedom for all Malaysians, Sarawak’s unique legal and cultural landscape must be preserved.
“We must be firm in upholding the unique legal, cultural, and social foundations of Sarawak, especially where they pertain to land—our most vital and sensitive resource,” he stressed.
“We call on the Sarawak Government to halt any proposal to introduce wakaf laws into the Land Code until full public consultation is held and guarantees are given that Sarawak’s multicultural fabric and state autonomy will not be compromised.”
Among concerns he highlighted is the possibility that the introduction wakaf laws into civil land legislation risks upsetting the delicate balance between faiths in Sarawak by creating perceptions of religious favouritism and State-sanctioned religious encroachment into secular legal systems.
He also warned that such amendments could affect the integrity of existing native land rights.
“For Dayak and other native communities, land is not just an economic asset—it is tied to ancestry, tradition, and identity. The idea of a parallel land system based on religious principles raises serious alarm and may erode confidence in the impartiality of our land laws,” he said.
Introducing wakaf into the Sarawak Land Code could also create a dual land ownership framework that complicates land administration and weakens the clarity of property rights, he said.
“This could have unintended consequences for development, inheritance, and dispute resolution—especially for mixed-religion or indigenous communities,” he added.
He also pointed out that Sarawak’s land laws are governed under our own jurisdiction as guaranteed by the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“We reject any attempt—direct or indirect—to import religious land systems that may be influenced by federal institutions or ideologies not rooted in Sarawak’s legal traditions,” John Brian said.
He further reiterated the need to have an inclusive dialogue prior any changes to land laws.
“No major legal reform should be pushed through without transparent, inclusive engagement with stakeholders, civil society, and local communities.” – DayakDaily
