‘Religious developments’ in peninsula worry non-Muslim Sarawak leaders

Leaders in Sarawak as well as Sabah have voiced opposition to the bill to amend RUU355, otherwise known as Hadi’s Bill after the PAS president, which proposes to enhance the punitive powers of the shariah courts. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 25, 2017.

NON-MUSLIM leaders of Sarawak are concerned over religious developments they see occurring on the peninsula, fearing they could undermine religious tolerance in the Borneo state, Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah said.

There are now plans to convey these concerns to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of National Unity, Joseph Kurup, some time in the next two weeks, to be passed on to the Federal Cabinet.

Uggah would not elaborate what the concerns were, but hinted that one of them had to do with the withdrawal of Section 88A from the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act to prevent unilateral conversion of children to Islam.

Clause 88A states that a child will remain in the religion practised by the parents at the time the marriage was registered and may choose his own religion upon reaching the age of 18.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said, however, tabled the amendment t the bill, minus Clause 88A, in the last Dewan Rakyat sitting, sparking an outcry among the opposition that the move was to placate Islamist party PAS and Malay voters ahead of the 14th general election which must be called before August next year.

Non-Muslim leaders from Sabah and Sarawak had also protested when the Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy CEO, Azril Mohd Amin, had called for laws banning Christian evangelism in Malaysia two months ago.

Earlier, Sarawak church leaders cancelled the All Borneo Revival Convocation in Miri after Malay groups protested over a similar event, Jerusalem Jubilee, which was to have been held in Malacca.

Uggah said Sarawak's non-Muslims leaders, who are members of the non-Islamic affairs unit in the chief minister’s department, were worried by the events taking place “on the other side” which could cause friction if they were to make their way to the state where Muslims were in the minority.

“We will therefore be presenting our views to Putrajaya,” he said after attending the annual National Day prayer service at the Christian Ecumenical Worship Centre in Kuching.

Uggah said the non-Islamic affairs unit that will regulate policies to promote religious harmony had been officially named the Unit for Other Religion, or Unifor.

Uggah, who is the minister in charge of Unifor, said the 17 positions in the unit were in the midst of being filled.

“We’ve got quite a number (filled) already.”

Uggah said applications for funds and land for the building or repair of churches or temples are still the dominant issues for Unifor.

“Unifor will be a platform for them (non-Muslims) to air their grievances, whatever (religious) issues they are facing."

Uggah gave the promise that Unifor will bring the issues raised to the attention of the state and federal governments.

The unit is the brainchild of former chief minister Adenan Satem who died of heart complications in February.

Muslims make up about 23% of the state's population.

By Desmond Davidson