Every citizen's right to differ on Islamic laws, says G25

Malaysians have a right to comment on the scope of Islamic law in the country as part of the democratic process, said the civil society group G25.

“We hold the view that any laws made by Parliament or the state legislatures whether on civil or religious matters are public policies and as such, all citizens have the right to express their views, as long as they do so within the law.

“This is a fundamental right in all constitutional democracies which must be upheld to enable the voice of the people to be heard locally and internationally,” said the G25 secretariat in a statement today.

The group said the authorities should allow for and accept dissenting views, as expressing differing opinions was part of the democratic process of the people exercising their rights as citizens.

They cited amendments to the syariah courts' punishments, which is central to the hotly debated PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's Private Member's Bill to remove the final obstacles for Kelantan to implement hudud law.

Those opposed to Hadi's bill have been accused of being anti-Islam.

“One major area where there are differences in views is the administration of Islam,” said G25.

“Muslims accept that certain aspects of their life pertaining to marriage, divorce, inheritance, family and community matters and morality offences under the 'precepts of Islam' are subject to syariah laws, as duly provided for in the constitution in recognition of the Islamic traditions in the Malay states over the centuries.

“While all Malaysians accept the special status of Islam in the country, and its position as the religion of the Federation, there are concerns over recent trends to expand the scope of syariah laws to cover a wider area of Muslim social life and to increase the punishments for offences under the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactments of the various states beyond the limits imposed by the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

“As the constitution is the supreme law of the country, which is basically secular in character, containing the same fundamental principles of human rights and freedoms as found in other modern democracies, any efforts to expand Islamic laws will give rise to uncertainties over the system of law and justice in the country.

“This inevitably will have major implications for racial harmony and the social and economic stability of the country,” said the group of prominent Malays.- Mkini