Nothing in law allows Cabinet to be divided by race and religion, Hadi told

 DAP leader Ramkarpal Singh describes the PAS president's call to restrict portfolios for non-Muslim ministers as divisive.

DAP legal bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s remarks should be rejected as they undermine the power-sharing model practised in Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA:

DAP legal bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh has rejected PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s call for non-Muslims to be restricted to Cabinet portfolios that do not involve policy formulation.

A former deputy law minister, Ramkarpal said Hadi’s remarks were unconstitutional and struck at the principles of multiculturalism and racial diversity underpinning Malaysian society.

He said he agreed with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST), which today described Hadi’s remarks as an infringement of the basic structure of the Federal Constitution.

The Bukit Gelugor MP also cited Hadi’s remarks in 2018 that PAS would establish two Cabinets if it came to power – one for Muslims and another for non-Muslims.

He said such an arrangement would contravene Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, which provides for the formation of a single Cabinet.

“Article 43 makes no mention of the division of the Cabinet along racial and religious lines,” he said in a statement.

“This further suggests that it was never the intention of the forefathers of the nation that ministerial positions be divided into categories based on race and religion.”

Ramkarpal said all citizens, regardless of race or religion, were entitled to be considered for ministerial positions, in line with the principle of equality before the law under Article 8.

He said the power to appoint ministers rested with the prime minister, but Malaysia’s Cabinet had been multiracial since independence.

“There is absolutely no reason for that to change,” he said.

Ramkarpal described Hadi’s remarks as divisive and said they should be rejected as they undermined the power-sharing model that had been practised in Malaysia.

He said DAP rejects Hadi’s remarks and will always strive to ensure that multiculturalism and multiracialism remain hallmarks in all aspects of Malaysian life, including in the composition of the Cabinet.

Ramkarpal also called on non-Muslim parties in Perikatan Nasional, particularly Gerakan, to publicly state their position on Hadi’s remarks, saying the issue was in the public interest and could affect the country’s future direction.

He urged Umno and other Barisan Nasional parties, particularly MCA and MIC, to state whether they agreed with Hadi, given the recent cooperation and discussions between BN and PAS.

Hadi said last week that non-Muslims could serve as ministers, but their roles should be limited to portfolios responsible for implementing government policies, while Muslims would be tasked with formulating them.

Speaking at the conclusion of PAS’s 72nd muktamar in Kota Bharu, he cited the works and forestry ministries as examples of portfolios that could be held by non-Muslims. - FMT