By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 11: Sarawak and Sabah non-governmental organisations (NGOs) oppose the proposed mufti bill that seeks to expand the powers of mufti in the Federal Territories as it could bypass the authority of Parliament and the courts.
In a joint press statement today, the NGOs expressed their concern over continuing federal breaches of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the destruction of the MA63 secularism concept.
“This would effectively sideline the constitutional monarchy, the Madani government, and the secular parliamentary democracy that Malaysia is built upon,” it said.
One of the 14 signatories of the joint press statement, Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS) founder Peter John Jaban, said the ongoing violations of the MA63 have reached a critical point, with recent developments such as the recent halal certification issue, the divisive #RUU355 Bill, appointment of halal inspectors, and the impending passage of the Mufti Bill 2024.
He pointed out that the measures represent yet more serious breaches of MA63 and have sparked widespread concern among citizens, especially in Sarawak and Sabah.
He said it is also opposed by Muslims who are concerned that “the Mufti Bill marks a more explicit sectarian turn in the bureaucratisation of Islam since the 2000s, aiming to institutionalise Sunni Ash’arism as the state-sanctioned version of Islam”.
Quoting from an article from The Diplomat, Competing Sectarianism by Aizat Shamsuddin, he also said that the politicisation of ideologies “will foster intolerance and radicalism by promoting dehumanising values and undermining democracy”.
“These actions constitute direct attacks on the secular system, which was a fundamental guarantee to Sabah and Sarawak when Malaysia and also the Malayan Federation were set up,” he added.
Peter, who is also the Publicity and Information chief of the Sarawak Association for People’s Aspirations (SAPA), said that the Mufti Bill, which is set to be passed on Oct 16 or 17, is another alarming development that further erodes the damaged secular structure of Malaysia where it could grant sweeping powers to the mufti, enabling the issuance of religious decrees that could have significant impacts on both Muslims and non-Muslims.
According to him, the decrees could bypass the authority of Parliament and the courts, effectively placing religious law above civil law, and they could even appoint advisors from outside the federation, allowing external religious influence to shape domestic laws.
He emphasises that mufti have no jurisdiction in Parliament as they are not elected representatives.
The joint press statement was endorsed by Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) president Daniel John Jambun, Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand, (SSRANZ) president Robert Pei, Republic Sabah North Borneo (RSNB) president Mosses Paul Anap Ampang, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan, Dayak Cultural Ambassador for Gabungan Orang Asal Sabah/ Sarawak (GOASS) Themothy Jagak, Ahmad Awang Ali of Pusat Latihan Orang Asal Sarawak, B Alim GA Mideh of Bulang Birieh Dayak Civil Movement, Chairman Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo Kanul Gindol, Persatuan pembangunan sosial komunity Sabah (BANGUN) president Jovilis Majami, Pertubuhan kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS) president Cleftus Stephen Mojingol, Secretary General Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS) Michael Jok, and Adviser Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS) Paul Rajah Legal. — DayakDaily
