Datuk Sebastian – no to Malaysia as a full-fledged Islamic state

suppadmin | October 16, 2017

SUPP and majority of us Sarawakians, will never agree with the comments made by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Dr. Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki that Barisan Nasional government is committed to make Malaysia an Islamic state, said Secretary general, Dato’ Sebastian Ting.

Ting said It is not possible to change Malaysia into a full-fledged Islamic state as that will require radical amendments to many provisions of the Federal Constitution such as two-thirds majorities in both Houses, consent of the Conference of Rulers and consent of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of both Sarawak and Sabah.

Sarawak has enjoyed the beauty of living together in peace and harmony irrespective of race or religion or culture and our people will never agree to convert Malaysia into an Islamic state because it is not at the best interest of the people of Sarawak. Thus, the idea of turning Malaysia is definitely a ‘No’.

When Sarawak and Sabah formed Malaysia back in 1963, our founding leaders of both countries made it very clear during the negotiation that Malaysia was and still is to be as secular state. Hence, many safeguards were put in place in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and eventually into the Federal Constitution to make sure that the Federal Government cannot alter our principal safeguards in regards to religion without the consent from our State Legislative Assembly.

We all need to be cautious in particular Federal UMNO Ministers and Deputy Ministers and must be moderate in their views in particular on sensitive issues touching on religion, race and culture..

In Sarawak we are different and we are indeed blessed that our our late Chief Minister Datuk Pattingi Tan Sri Adenan Satem and our present Chief Minister Datuk Pattingi Datuk Amar Abang Zohari had stated very clearly that we have been living peacefully and harmoniously in Sarawak all these years and we have no issues at all on religion, race, religion, race and culture.

Let us build a Stronger Sarawak and a United Peaceful and Harmonious Malaysia…, he added.