The decision to use the Sultan of Selangor to make decision with regards to the incidence of alleged proselytization at the Damansara Utama Methodist church dinner has set a dangerous precedence because of several reasons. The people of Malaysia, regardless of the ethnic background and creed are all directly involved and affected by this historic case in which the Sultan, as the head of Muslim affairs in Selangor, make a legal decision on the very sensitive matter.
While I doubt that the Sultan is truly informed on all aspects, implications, ramifications and potential repercussions of the case, what has been done has been done, and we have to proceed to deal with it, possibly for many years to come. The king may reverse the situation if he rescinds his ruling but this seems unlikely to happen. So the first question that needs to be asked is why hasn’t the syariah court given the opportunity to contribute to the solution of the case? Since the case also involves non-Muslims, shouldn’t the civil court also be involved? We realize of course, that it the two courts joined the tussle, it would lead to a confusion about which law to apply on whom. Should the Muslims be dealt with with syariah law and the Christians be dealt with by applying civil law? But how would one settle the case with two laws clashing on a case that could potentially result in differing judgments made on two different parties, or both parties becoming affected by ruling of laws that shouldn’t apply to them? It would be a classic case of religious rights and freedom in which two irreconciliable laws try to dominate without any acceptable resolution! All it would do would be to cause an international embarrassment and shame to the country’s ridiculous two-layered legal system!
So now we have a situation in which the Sultan has been used as an instrument of solution, which immediately results in many people raising issues about what’s right and wrong. The royal ruling was made without any legal basis because he made it only as the leader of Islamic affairs in the state. There was no trial to decide who was guilty or not guilty. As a result the ruling in which the Sultan supported the raid by JAIS but assuring all that none would be charged, although the 12 Muslims who attended the fund-raising dinner would be given counseling, is spurious. The immediate assumption is that DUMC is guilty and that there was an attempt to proselytize. This then makes DUMC appear guilty, and so is in a defensive position while it is expected to keep silent and let the whole thing cool down. But it is not to be. Various parties are voicing out their unhappiness. The response from Sarawak is that one’s religion is one’s personal affair with God and none has the right to interfere in it.
The other issue is the question of JAIS’ right to flagrantly enter a church and disrupt its activities. Ng Kam Weng, of The Micah Mandate writes that “the jurisdiction granted by Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution was to permit the state to control or restrict the propagation of religion among people professing to be Muslims. This must be read in the context of the Article itself which fundamentally provides for every person the freedom to profess, practice and propagate his religion…. There is no legal provision under the Propagation Enactment that allows Jais officials to intrude into the premises of DUMC, much less carry out a raid. From my reading of the Selangor Enactment (1988), the closest possible justification that can be offered by Jais are Sections 12 and 13, which specify that ‘an authorised officer may investigate the commission of any offence under this Enactment and may arrest without warrant any person suspected of having committed any such offence.’”
By this, clearly JAIS is in the wrong and should be judged for a contravention of provisions of the Federal Constitution and the Propagation Enactment. I agree with Bob Teoh, an online commentator, that JAIS “cannot hide behind its spurious actions and be exonerated from its controversial intrusion into a charity dinner held at a church…. It must be held accountable for its actions because it strikes at the very heart of criminal jurisprudence, law enforcement, and administration of justice — Islamic or otherwise. Jais cannot (be)…allowed to get away with it through flawed reasoning…. Jais descended upon a charity function…without invitation, permission or due authority…. Conducting a search without a warrant or an order from the court is considered an extra-judicial action. Is Jais, therefore, exempt from due process? And if so, why?”
The simplistic method of using the Sultan to supposedly settle the whole thing down is clearly illegal and is a denial of the due process of law. What should have been done was to allow the due legal process to be carried out, especially because this is a test case for the country’s dual legal system. Such a process may be protracted and expensive but it is necessary to give our judicial system a sense of honesty and transparency, and an opportunity for clarification and resolution for the long term legal benefits of all Malaysians. Unfortunately, because of the simplistic approach, we are all left hanging with the doubt and dissatisfaction. Because of this the civil-syariah dilemma will continue unresolved, and several questions will continue to haunt us. Will any church building be safe from raids by Islamic enforcement teams from now on, with or without reasonable cause? Which law should now precede in cases involving proselytization, or cases in which Muslim voluntarily joins a church to become Christians (without the church being aware that they are Muslims)?
The other danger in this precedence is the now questionable position of the Sultan as the king of all the people of Selangor. He is installed as people’s king, not merely the king of the Muslims. By taking side in a religious issue, he has established an unwanted position as a king who is a protector of Muslims and no longer favouring the Christians. By making the decision he has also entered into the soiled realm of politics. Royals are supposed to be above politics being the patron and protector of all his people regardless of their race and religion. Sadly, in the case of Selangor, this may no longer be the case.
DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN
What to be surprised? Minorities are often suppressed.
ReplyDeleteIsu ini amat sensitif dan patut diselesaikan secara adil.
ReplyDeleteSultan memang kelihatan sangat concern terhadap agama islam tapi dia lupa bahawa kebanyakan isu berkaitan agama yg dilakukan oleh org islam sultan hanya tutup mata dan telinga tapi bila ada terkait agama lain baru sultan berlagak macam Tuhan orang islam. Mentang2 islam agama rasmi agama lain mahu dipijak2 macam tidak bernilai. Di negara2 Arab juga penganut kristian diseksa oleh org islam sebangsa kerana ditunjangi oleh pemerintah. Di Malaysia, sultan dilihat sebagai ketua agama walaupun mereka adalah munafik kerana sifat sultan sebagai manusia biasa yg banyak kelemahan dan cuba menjadi hakim kepada agama lain. Biar Tuhan menghakimi manusia di akhirat nanti.
ReplyDeleteLove All
ReplyDeleteapa bukti kau yang mengatakan orang Kristian diseksa di negara2 arab? orang2 kristian di Arab Saudi, mesir dan kawasan2 lain dilayan dgn baik, mereka di beri kebebasan beragama, hidup mereka juga senang. tidak ada berlalu penindasan, perbunuhan dan penyeksaan terhadap mereka. sebaliknya ramai orang Islam yang diseksa dan ditindas seperti yang berlaku di Selatan Thai, Filipina. iraq, Afganistan, palestin dan byk lagi. jgnlah nak buat taip sembarangan jika tak tau apa2.
harap isu ini dpt diselesaikan, kita harus saling hormat menghormati.
ReplyDeletetidak payah la sentuh pasal agama di sini.. banyak nanti yang melencong.. biar pihak2 tertentu sahaja yang menyelesaikan masalah yang berkaitan dengan agama.. mana2 yang tidak betul kita tegur cara baik..
ReplyDeletesemoga keputusan terbaik dapat dicapai untuk selesaikan isu sensitif ini. jangan sampai berlaku pertelingkahan tentang agama.
ReplyDeleteKesia saya sama ko Anon. Kau tdk baca surat kabarkah? Baru awal minggu ini disiar berkali2 o di astro awani punya berita lagi banyak kali. Ini yg berlaku baru2 ini yg lalu2 tdk disiarkan. Jgn melenting kalau pura2 tdk tahu. Cuba luaskan pengetahuan melalui internet pun dlm sesaat Anon boleh baca bagaimana kedudukan penganut kristian di negara2 Arab. Sama bangsa tapi penganut Islam diajar oleh pemimpin turun temurun membenci penganut kristian. Banyak sangat buktinya sehingga tdk terkira. Jgn sensitif bah, kita bincang ikut fakta! Itu Koptik Christian di Arab yg minoriti, kan tunjuk perasaan baru2 ini kerana gereja mereka dibakar dan penganutnya ditembak oleh polis. Itu belum cerita yg di tempat lain. Jadi jgan ko bercakap macam ko satu org saja pandai dalam dunia ini. Kalaupun ko Islam ba, apa boleh buat kan betul Sultan ini berlagak sebagai org atau wakil Tuhan (seolah-olah). Org kristian pun bukannya perfect tapi merekapun ada perasaan juga. Cuba bayangkan, Logikkah kalau orang Islam saja yg layak menyebut nama Allah? Jadi... apa lagi bukti ko mau untuk menidakkan bahawa sultan org melayu itu tidak ARROGANT? JAWAP SECARA JUJUR DAN PROFESIONAL?
ReplyDeleteThats why race & religion should not be mashed up with politics.
ReplyDeleteBetul tu Love All. Si Anon di atas sentimen sdh ni. Oh, di Thailand, Philifin,tu kerana para penganut islamnya militan. Tdk pandai berbaik2 dgn pemerintah. Itu alasan saja mereka mahu merampas kuasa. Semua bandit2 dan gila kuasa. Yg di Thailand tu siapa yg sokong? Org Malaysia dan islam dari negara2 lain. Mereka dibatuapikan. Biasanya org islamlah yg memulakan sengketa dengan bom, bakar gereja, pancung kepala dan lain2 cara membunuh. Itu kerana mereka bilang itu mati sahid. Elee...Mati sahid itu lain. Yg saya faham org islam ini (YG TDK Islamik) kuat batu api, dan ganas. Tak payah pergi jauh , di Sabahpun satu ketika dahulu(Zaman Tun Mustapha) apa kurangnya. Selain padre2 ditangkap dan dipenjara, umat kristian nun di pedalaman dipaksa masuk islam. Di Afganistan dan Palestine? Afghanistan itu negara majoriti islam. Kristiannya tinggal 1% kerana ditindas. Siapa tak masuk islam dibunuh. Itukah agama suci? Palestine? Palestine itu sangat angkuh! Budak2 kecil lagi sdh diajar untuk membunuh dan membenci org kristian! Membakar, baling batu, membunuh lepastu org islam dan masyarakat duniapun datanglah berpusu-pusu pergi membantu konon. YG betul sejarah org Palestine ini ialah mereka bukan org palestine. Mereka adalah pendatang dari negara2 iraq, arab,libya dan lain2 negara Arab yg datang ke situ masa zaman penjajahan British di sana dahulu. Sebaliknya, sekarang mereka menuntut tanah Palestine konon. Macam PTI di Sabah kini mahu jadi Sultan sulu di Sabah. Sedarkah sdra Anon .Sebaliknya jika kita baca Alkitab, jelas dinyatakan bahawa Israel itu adalah tanah Kanaan yg Tuhan telah janjikan pada kaum Israel sejak zaman nabi Musa. Itulah, lain kali jgn duluan2 menyimpang terlalu jauh jika tidak berpandukan pada fakta.
ReplyDeleteParty import from malaya must be kicked out from Sabah for good. They came to Sabah only to steal and rob our natural resources.
ReplyDeleteParty import from malaya only making used of the name of religion and race for their evil agenda to divide and rule the Sabahans.
In this coming GE13, All Sabahans should vote all the party malaya OUT from Sabah!
Local Sabah party can manage and govern our own state.
apa pun yang berlaku ianya perlu diselesaikan dengan sebaiknya..
ReplyDeleteisu seperti ini tidak perlu dipolitikkan dan disensasikan oleh mana-mana pihak pun..
ReplyDeleteHope that this case will be resolved fairly.
ReplyDeleteIt is this kind of racial and religious issues that is causing conflicts between people of different faiths.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteLove All
"apa bukti kau yang mengatakan orang Kristian diseksa di negara2 arab? orang2 kristian di Arab Saudi, mesir dan kawasan2 lain dilayan dgn baik, mereka di beri kebebasan beragama, hidup mereka juga senang. tidak ada berlalu penindasan, perbunuhan dan penyeksaan terhadap mereka. sebaliknya ramai orang Islam yang diseksa dan ditindas seperti yang berlaku di Selatan Thai, Filipina. iraq, Afganistan, palestin dan byk lagi. jgnlah nak buat taip sembarangan jika tak tau apa2"
Iyaka? adakah anda pasti? tahu kenapa negara philipin bergolak kerana agama? pasal kumpulan minoriti islam mengambil keputusan yg salah iaitu memilih utk menjadi pemberontak (MNLF,MILF&ABU SAYYAF)Tidak akan terjadi pertumpahan darah jika tiada "perjuangan suci@mati sahid@jihad". di thailand, selatan thai tidak ada kena mengena dgn Kristian kerana negara ini adalah majoriti buddha(fikir sebelum ckp,jgn nanti kamu kelihatan bodoh). kes di afgan pun tiada kena mengena dgn agama kerana pada asalnya ia melibatkan pemerentahan kuku besi taliban (tiada tv, tiada internet, tiada news, perempuan tidak dbenar utk bersekolah, perempuan mesti berpakaian even mata masi ditutup, perempuan tidak boleh keluar rumah apa lagi utk memandu) jadi semua ini kelihatnya adil bagi kamu? padahal semua lelaki keluar berseronok mencari "telaga emas dara" utk mereka menambah koleksi bini. US campurtangan ke negara ini bukan kerana ketidakadilan ini, tapi kerana perhitungan yg harus dibuat terhadap pemimpin2 taliban. di iraq, serangan US terjadi juga bukan kerana agama. nak tahu mana negara yg menyeksa Kristian? cuba rajin2 baca online news. di indon Kristian ditindah semahu-mahunya oleh majoriti islam dgn Gereja dibakar, penganutnya diseksa malah ada yg dibunuh. di negara2 Arab sekarang, sperti yg sedang hangat, Arab Kristian dibunuh dijalanan. bacalah news online antarabangsa supaya kamu tahu keadaan sebenar. nanti tidaklah kamu malu kerana komen kamu yg bias. jgn juga hanya membaca akhbar utusan dan berita harian.
hahahaaa :D inilah orang kita sekarang. Alangkah baik kalau kita hidup dalam keadaan aman damai. Mereka yang membakar dan bergaduh antara agama mungkin pemikiran mereka hanya kemusnahan. Jika kita bersama-sama pasti semua bebas. Beragama ikutlah kepercayaan agama sendiri. Jauhilah kebinasaan utamakanlah kedamaian tidak kira agama apa pun Islam, kristian, buddha..Itulah yang terpenting.
ReplyDeleteFiraun Zaman Moden dan love all..
ReplyDeletemungkin anda tidak suka dengan tindakan segelintir umat Islam yang pada anda melakukan pekara yang tidak sepatutnya..
namum Islam tidak pernah mengajar kepada kejahatan malah menyeru kepada kebaikan..tidak wajar jika kita hanya menilai sesuatu pekara itu dengan hanya melihat situasi daripada sebelah pihak saja.
jika kita nampak seorang kristian atau seorang Islam melakukan kejahatan, jangan kita anggap agamanya yang buruk, tapi sikap individu itu sendiri yang patut dipersalahkan..
Sori wahai insan biasa, tapi ajaran mati syahid tu siapa punya? Tuhan tdk ajar manusia membunuh org yg tdk seagama? ISH terlanjur cakap pula. Memanglah penganut yg di salahkan dan bukannya agama tapi yg bikin kecil hati ialah kebanyakan org Islam ini kan sombong, kerana pemimpin atasannya tdk baik. Yang bagus ialah masing2 agama saling mengajarkan yg baik kepada umatnya tapi kalau agama islam kan hanya org islam saja yg dorang baik. Kalau yg non-muslim itu pura2 ja baik walaupun bangsa sendiri tapi jika agama berlainan macam bukan lagi sdra. Tapi kalau islam walaupun bangsanya pilak atau Bugis atau apa2lah asal agamanya islam wah, jamin dapat ICpun akun. Kalau agama lain pula terutama kristian, semua manusia itu adalah sdra. Tiada beza2. Tapi sekali lagi ya, bukan semua islam begitu, di Indonesia contoh terbaik diantara islam baik dan islam tak baik. Yg tak baiknya itu yg suka bom2 gereja dan bunuh padri. Tapi itu taklah ramai. Itu yg islam tak betul punya. Kalau di Malaysia, Islam PAS bagus sebab dia hormat agama lain dan walaupun dia mau laksanakan hukum hudud ia untuk org islam saja dan memang patutpun sebab itu peraturan dan hukum agama islam. bJadi insan biasa jgn perasaan juga si Anon yg minta bukti bahawa islam tidak adil. Di Malaysia orang kristian sebut Allahpun tak boleh. Itu yg konco2 UMNO yg islam jahat punya. PAS tdk bisingpun. Ok. Insan biasa kira Islam yg baik dan si Anon di atas itu termasuk islam yg.....Sori. Lain kali jgn mencabar. Orang tak cakap kalau tak ada bukti. Malahan buktinya bertimbun2 dari zaman dahulu hingga zaman modern ini. Tuhan maha mengetahui.
ReplyDeleteYalah bersumpah di masjid lagi tu. Itupun yang islam sesat juga tu. Jadi, PM, Datu T, Saiful sodom, semuanya islam tak betul sebab bersumpah di masjid. Wow, The first incidents in the world bersumpah di masjid! Hahahaha...Manada Tuhan suruh umatnya bersumpah di tempat sembahyang.Lucu.....
ReplyDelete