When asked to elaborate, he said other Muslim-majority countries without such laws like Indonesia have experienced turmoil and are in the process of being ‘Christianised’.
“That
is their choice, but for us in Malaysia, I want to ask the friends who
are present: For those who are Muslim, are we okay if your child is
converted to Christianity simply because we don’t have these rules?“Are we okay to say if the child reaches 18 or 21 years old, the parent no longer have any say on the child whom they gave birth and raised? Are we willing to do that?” he said at a press conference in home today.
He added that another aspect is that the amendment would likely include elements of Pakatan Rakyat’s interpretation of human rights, which he said would legalise homosexual behaviour.
“Perhaps some would say I’m telling fairy tales, but this is no fairy tale. Hasn’t this already happened in Europe? In America? Even in Asia, this phenomenon is happening unofficially,” he said.
Hasan was responding to a joint statement from Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin, Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran, and Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San yesterday, calling for subsection 9 of the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 to be reviewed.
The enactment prohibits the word ‘Allah’ and 34 other Arabic words from being used in non-Islamic contexts.
However, debate on issue welcomed
The three DAP assemblypersons argued that while Article 11(4) of the federal constitution has restrictions on the propagation of religious doctrine among Muslims, it does not affect how non-Muslims practise their religion, including their preferred language.
They pointed out that the freedom of religion is guaranteed under Articles 11(1) and 11(3) of the federal constitution.
The statement came in the wake of Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s (Jais) raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) on Thursday, where they seized Malay-language bibles and investigated its leaders under the same enactment.
Despite his alarm, Hasan (left)
says he would nevertheless ‘welcome’ the amendment to be discussed at
state exco meetings as well debated in the state assembly.He points out that state assembly debates are broadcast live and it would be a good opportunity for the people to judge their elected representatives on their stance regarding the enactment.
“(However) if the amendment is passed, imagine the consequences. It is not only on Selangor, nor the 13 other states, nor on the similar provision at the federal level.
“The consequence that I see waiting for us is chaos among the people, especially the people of Selangor,” he added.
The former state exco on Islamic affairs also defended Jais’ raid on BSM, insisting that it was done in accordance with existing legislation, especially the enactment it was enforcing.
He added that Jais is also entitled to act on its own accord without giving anyone prior notice, especially when on covert raids.
When asked about arguments that Jais has no jurisdiction over non-Muslims, Hasan dismissed it as ‘their interpretation’ of the law.
He said in his experience, Jais’ interpretation is that department is the main agency to enforce religious enactments, rules, and fatwas in Selangor, including the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.
“If we say that Jais has no right to confiscate, to raid and so on, who else is going to enforce such enactments in Selangor? Try asking, who else? To NGOs, to any organisation? To those criticising what Jais did?
“I think it is logical, practical, and legal for the task to be handed to Jais,” he said.
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