Religious Council: Stand of Minister is outrageous

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism is appalled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri's statement that the call by Perkasa Chief, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, to burn Malay-language Bibles was not seditious "as it was done to protect Islam".

"This reason is very repulsive, legally untenable and outrageous as it seems to give licence to such persons to continue making such racially and religiously provocative statements.

"The call to burn bibles is clearly a criminal act and is against our Constitution and rule of law. If this was allowed then we are no different from ISIL (or also known as Islamic State, IS) which has committed various criminal acts and beheadings, all in the name of Islam," the Council said in a statement, Wednesday.

In the statement signed by President, Jagir Singh and its Deputy President Dato Seri Jit Heng, vice presidents Tan Hoe Chieow, Kong Yeng Phooi and Datuk R S Mohan Shan as well as secretary general, Prematilaka KD Serisena, the Council said Nancy, who is the de facto Minister of Law should also know that "intention" is immaterial in a sedition charge in Malaysia.

"This is the reason that there is so much opposition to the sedition charges preferred against scholars, lawyers, activists, students among others," the Council said.

"In our multi-racial country any call to burn the Holy Books of another religion would definitely mean having crossed the red line. If Ibrahim Ali is not to be prosecuted then the Government has no moral right to prosecute others who have at most made some seemingly arguable and controversial statements," said the Council.

The Council also questioned Nancy's statement in justifying her earlier statements that it was allowed under the spirit of the Article 11 (4) of the Federal Constitution.

"This is really mind boggling. How could Article 11 (4) ever be interpreted as to condone criminal acts? In fact, Article 11 (5) effectively negates what Nancy said by providing 'this Article does not authorise any act contrary to any general law relating to public order, public health or morality," the Council said.

Among others, Ibrahim Ali had also breached Section 298 of the Penal Code for "uttering words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound the religious feeling of any person."

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Religious Council: Stand of Minister is outrageous