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Malaysia: Safeguard all religious beliefs, says SUHAKAM

Graphic: The Cross

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia has called on the government to fulfill its commitment to safeguard all religious beliefs.


The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) has called on the government to fulfil its commitment to safeguard all religious beliefs, including combating discrimination against minority groups.

"It is of utmost importance for the Government to combat acts, including threats and harassment, that promote religious extremism and hatred among different religious communities," said SUHAKAM Chairperson Tan Sri Hasmy Agam.

He was commenting on the decision by the police not to act against Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali over his threat to burn copies of the Bible in the Malay language that contained the kalimah Allah.

In a written reply, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri said the police had concluded that Ibrahim's words were directed at specific individuals, that he had meant to protect the sanctity of Islam and that he was not a threat to society at large.

Ibrahim had allegedly targeted his remarks at several people who had distributed the Bibles to students of a secondary school in Jelutong, Penang.

Hasmy said SUHAKAM was "disappointed and alarmed" that there would not be any action against Ibrahim.

"As much as SUHAKAM understands and appreciates the sensitivity of religious issues in this country, it is of the view that every individual and community, regardless of differences in beliefs, enjoys the basic right to religion," he said.

Date: 12 October 2014

Source: The Star Online


Image credits

  1. The Cross - Claire, Flickr Creative Commons