YOURSAY | PAS strikes even as Muhyiddin talks about a new deal

YOURSAY | ‘Malays can’t continue to shout Islam is under attack after more than 60 years in power.’

Act 355 amendments, new law on spreading of non-Muslim religions afoot

Constitutional Supremacy: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had offered a new deal to Malaysians to make Malaysia moderate, plural, united and guided by the Constitution.

The proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) (and introduction of a Control and Restriction on the Propagation of Non-Muslim Religions Bill) are just doing the opposite.

The Act 355 amendments was rejected in 2017 by a vast majority of Malaysians and MPs, including all MPs from Sabah and Sarawak.

So what is Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Marzuk Shaary saying? This is totally different from that of the PM.

The PM should clarify the above and reprimand Ahmad Marzuk. Failing this, the hypocrisy of the PM in his ‘new deal’ will be laid bare to all.

Goliath: This announcement comes on the heels of PAS accepting Perikatan Nasional’s new deal and moderate approach. A new deal that asked parties to reject extremism and opportunistic behaviour, which is unsuitable for a plural society.

I wonder which part of the hudud law is appropriate for this kind of deceitful announcement? I also wonder if Malaysians are truly that stupid and ignorant when they see back-to-back news like this.

IndigoKite6964: Ever since PAS slithered unto the ruling bench, we have had nothing but venomous rhetoric, bigotry and now threats to disintegrate a multiracial and multicultural country.

This has clearly brought to the fore the true form and colour of PAS under their current toxic leadership. They had their chance to rule and they blew it up.

As I have said many times, any party who so much as show that they desire to sleep with this party does not deserve our vote.

The constitution allows all of us to practise our religion freely. PAS and the ultra-religious conservative Muslim Malaysian bigots don't see the Constitution as supreme. They see only themselves to be supreme.

I hope for more challenges to the syariah state laws that overreach and impinge on the Penal Code, the Constitution, and Malaysians’ constitutional rights.

I hope for these challenges to be made to the Federal Court for review and if proven to be overreaching, these laws should be nullified so that we can have our country back.

Hearty Malaysian: The relationship between God and humans is purely personal and should not be determined by law in a democratic country. PAS is stealing this liberty in the name of defending Islam despite Muslims being the majority in this country.

Malays can’t continue to shout Islam is constantly under attack after more than 60 years of running the Malaysian government following Independence.

The minority non-Muslims in Malaysia are not shouting for laws against any religious conversion by other religions. By right, they are entitled to equal “protection” if Muslims are accorded such human-made law.

PAS’ actions are akin to a fascist cult, and it is the duty of discerning Muslim Malaysians to reject its political moves and show us the true, fair and liberal side of Islam. Otherwise, this country is doomed to regress.

Undecided: PAS wants to go back to laws made more than 1,000 years ago. How do you expect them to govern as its leaders prefer to close their eyes to humanity’s progress since then?

Their leaders still think the more severe the punishment, the greater the deterrent to crime. But going by recent transgressions in law by political leaders, those in power may be exempted.

Only the ignorant and powerless indoctrinated by extremist preachers will support them. This is yet another example of promoting a divisive brand of Islam by PAS.

Tiger In The Jungle: The non-Muslim population of Sabah recently voted for the Bersatu-PAS-Umno coalition and they reward them with further religious restrictions.

Corruption, racism, incompetence and abuse of law are not relevant to Marzuk but religious extremism is.

Uragt: Is it the case that in the 21st century that six million Malays belonging to Umno, Bersatu, PAS and PN agree that the scandals and corruption in Malaysia get less government attention than a single Arabic word?

Sabahans, where art thou?

BobbyO: The Covid-19 virus has done enough damage to the nation and its economy. It has resulted in hundreds of thousands having their bread and butter being snatched away.

There have been major foreign investors who had bypassed us due to our political instability. Billions that would have been diverted into our nation had just slipped away; billions that would have created jobs that are very badly needed for our people.

There are even some locals who are thinking of leaving for greener pasture overseas once this pandemic is brought under control and the world borders are opened.

Now, these amendments and the new law that are going to be introduced will hasten their determination to prepare to leave and taking with them local investors who are already tired of this incompetent leadership.

On the one hand, we have leaders making statements of trying to unite the people. On the other, one of the partners of the ruling coalition is thinking and planning to introduce some sixth-century laws that include public flogging as punishment for religious crimes.

We have enough laws already in place to deal with various crimes. All we need is to enforce them properly and we will see a drastic reduction in the daily crime rate.

We don’t need laws to frighten people; that will send the people and local and foreign investors fleeing for the exit.

We don’t need laws that will bring division between the non-Malays and the Malays or between the liberals and the religious elite. We don’t need laws that will divide this nation.

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