Stop being hostile to atheists, gov't told

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) today called for the government to immediately cease their hostility against the atheist minority in the country.

In a statement, the group said that it illogical and contrary to international human rights standards to interpret the constitutional guarantee of "freedom of religion" as a ban on holding, or expressing non-religious views.

"It is wrong to state that atheism is dangerous. Any ideology might employ almost any belief to terrible ends.

"Atheism is simply the view that there are no gods. This view is increasingly available around the world and more and more people agree to it," IHEU noted.

The statement is in response to an earlier remark by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki that atheism was "unconstitutional" and an offence under the Sedition Act 1948.

IHEU then touched on the provisions in the Federal Constitution against proselytising Muslims, which it called "obviously discriminatory".

"These provisions do not protect Muslims from any real harm. In fact, they infantilise Muslims. They carry the assumption that despite being in a majority in the country and having their religion upheld as the state religion, it is somehow offensive or harmful for Muslims to hear about alternative views.

"The extra controls on the beliefs and practices of Islam among ethnic Malays is coercive and authoritarian. Regardless of their own beliefs, they can demand that the government stop treating them like they are so sensitive and easily provoked that they cannot cope with hearing or contemplating any other viewpoints.

"They can demand the freedom to worship however they want, or not worship, and believe as they wish," said the group, adding that prohibiting people from holding secular views violates individual conscience and free expression, and can only serve to embolden religious extremists.

IHEU further pointed out that the Rukun Negara, which among others contains the principle "Belief in God", is not a law, and does not, and cannot, bind any individual to have religious beliefs.- Mkini