By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Jan 14: Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called upon the education minister to give a full explanation on claims that non-Muslim Bumiputera students from Sarawak and Sabah are being required to attend an Islamic event organised by a public university in Peninsular Malaysia.
In a joint press statement, the NGOs said if the allegations were true, it would be not just an attack on the religious freedom of the people, but also an affront to the dignity, identity, and autonomy of the two States.
“Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaysia under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) with the assurance that our religious and cultural rights would be respected,” said the statement.
The statement elaborated that the idea of a ‘conversion quota’ is unethical, especially considering the diverse communities in East Malaysia.
“This is not just about religion—it is about respect, fairness, and the future of Malaysia as a multicultural nation,” said the statement.
The joint statement was released by Global Human Rights Federation Malaysia deputy president Peter John Jaban, Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) president Daniel John Jambun, Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ) president Robert Pei, Republic of Sabah North Borneo (RSNB) president Moses Anap, Persatuan Pembangunan Sosial Komuniti Sabah (BANGUN) president Jovilis Majami, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS) president Cleftus Stephen Mojingol, and Forum Adat Dataran Tanah Tinggi Borneo (FORMADAT) advisor Ricky Ganang.
In a news report by Free Malaysia Today (FMT) yesterday (Jan 13), the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) Michael Kong, on his Facebook, called upon the university in question to explain the issue.
Kong, who is an aide to Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen, said if the allegations were true, it risks sowing distrust and resentment among the communities.
FMT reported that according to viral posters of the alleged two-day event, all non-Muslim students and 10 Muslim students from each class in the university in Peninsular Malaysia were required to attend an ‘identity and spirituality camp’ at a mosque.
The purported programme of the event had sessions that would split the non-Muslim and Muslim students, as well as others related to Islamic teachings or practices involving all the participants. — DayakDaily
