“As much as Suhakam understands and fully appreciates the sensitivity of religious issues in this country, it is of the view that every individual and community, regardless of differences in beliefs, enjoys the basic right to religion and the freedom to profess their faith as guaranteed under Article 11 of the Federal Constitution and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),” said Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam.
He further called on the Government to fulfil its commitments made during the second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last year.
These commitments, he stressed, included the need to combat all forms of discrimination particularly religious discrimination and to protect religious minority groups in the country.
“It is of utmost importance for the Government to combat acts including threats and harassment that promote religious extremism and hatred among different religious communities, thereby safeguarding the basic right of all people to freely practise their faith as they have practiced for generations in this country,” said Hasmy.
He added that in Malaysia, domestic peace and national harmony are best guaranteed through a policy and practice of moderation.
In a written reply on Wednesday to Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan), Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri said no action would be taken against Ibrahim with regard to his threat to burn bibles in January last year which drew the ire of politicians and Christian groups.
She said that police had concluded that Ibrahim’s words were only directed at specific individuals and was not a threat to society at large and made to protect the sanctity of Islam.
She added that the Attorney-General’s Chambers had decided not to prosecute Ibrahim after scrutinising the context of his speech and based on Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution, which provides for state and Federal law to control or restrict the propagation of other religions to Muslims.
Ibrahim is alleged to have uttered the statement with regard to individuals who had purportedly distributed bibles containing the word “Allah” to students, including Malays, at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jelutong in Penang.
He had allegedly called for the Malay version of the Bible containing the word “Allah” and Jawi script to be burnt.
By Tan Yi Liang
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