It should be exactly just like it says in the picture above and exactly as it is enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution under Article 11 – Freedom of Religion whereby it is stated that Every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.

Therefore it is our right as a Malaysian to practice the religion of our choice without intervention from other parties. So it is with great regret that I had to read the following article published in The Star yesterday:

Proposal to prosecute non-Muslims for khalwat

KUALA LUMPUR: A seminar on Syariah Law review wants non-Muslims found committing khalwat (close proximity) with Muslims to also be held liable.

This was among the proposals made at the two-day seminar organised by the Islamic Institute of Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) and the Syariah Judiciary Department Malaysia.

Syariah Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mohd Asri Abdullah said the seminar had proposed that non-Muslims committing khalwat with Muslims should also be sentenced accordingly, but in the civil courts.

“We don’t have the jurisdiction to sentence non-Muslims committing khalwat with Muslims,” he told reporters after closing the seminar on behalf of department director-general Datuk Ibrahim Lembut at Ikim here today.

“The Muslims can be sentenced in Syariah courts, and the non-Muslim partners can probably be sentenced in the civil courts, to be fair to both parties.”

He said the proposal, contained in a draft resolution at the seminar, would be forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

It would seem that these certain parties who are behind the proposal of prosecute non-Muslims for khalwat have either no knowledge of the constitutional freedoms allowed to a citizen of Malaysia or they are plain ignorant of the case. The proposal put forward is akin to forcefully (in reference to the rule of law) imposing their beliefs and religious laws onto those not of their faith and following.

Moreover the method put forward by IKIM of utilizing the civil courts for the prosecution of the non-Muslims in regards to khalwat can be only seen as trying to circumvent the rights of freedom of religion via the legal system as the means of delivery.

I find this proposal to impose Syariah law, albeit through the civil courts, onto the non-Muslim population as an attempt at moral policing – all due respect granted to Islam as the official religion of the country. Contrary to the beliefs in certain quarters, Malaysia is not an Islamic country. Malaysia is a secular country which recognises Islam as its official religion.

As it currently stand we are still shackled by racial segregation that is dividing the people of this country and we don’t need to add moral policing to the list!

(Pics courtesy of mattdesmond)

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