Maszlee’s ‘medan dakwah’ call also raises ire from PBB youth
KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB) youth has joined in the chorus to condemn Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s call to religious teachers from Peninsular Malaysia to make Sabah and Sarawak their Islamic propagation field (medan dakwah).
Its deputy chief Miro Simuh said the minister had really gone beyond his mind by urging the ustaz and ustazah from the Peninsula to do ‘dakwah’ in the two states.
“I am very sure, even our Muslim brothers and sisters here in Borneo and in the PBB youth wing will never agree with his statement,” he said.
Miro was responding to the minister’s recent statement in Parliament, appealing to religious teachers from Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah who were teaching in Sabah and Sarawak not to return to Peninsular Malaysia but to make the two states their Islamic propagation field.
Miro pointed out that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63) clearly stated that complete freedom of religion would be guaranteed in the Federal Constitution and that ‘ Sarawak has at present no established religion and it would not be required to accept Islam as its state religion’.
He said since there is no official religion for the Borneo states it should remain so.
“We have done it our way for hundreds of years and we live happily in harmony and in high spirit of tolerance.
“Making such a statement is uncalled for, if it were to happen it will affect religious freedom in Sarawak and Sabah.”
Miro, who is Serembu assemblyman, said Maszlee should stop bringing his Malaya mind to Sarawak and urged all Sarawakians to condemn the minister’s statement.
He also challenged the minister’s counterparts in Sarawak, Minister of Works Baru Bian and other Pakatan Harapan leaders to give their views pertaining to the issue.
Miro also concurred with the Association of Churches
We have done it our way for hundreds of years and we live happily in harmony and in high spirit of tolerance. Making such a statement is uncalled for, if it were to happen it will affect religious freedom in Sarawak and Sabah. Miro Simuh, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu deputy chief
Sarawak’s ( ACS) call on the federal government to stop using civil servants or teachers to carry out any form of Islamisation in Sarawak and Sabah.
The ACS recently said it was ‘deeply concerned’ about Maszlee’s statement.
“The statement by the Education Minister is not in the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and appears to be sanctioning Islamic religious teachers from Peninsular Malaysia to promote Islamisation and propagation to local students in non-religious schools in Sabah and Sarawak.
“If Peninsular Malaysian teachers were to make Sabah and Sarawak their ‘ medan dakwah’, it could make the atmosphere in and outside schools intimidating, and the local students and parents may feel uneasy and no proper learning can take place.
“While the practice of sending teachers from Peninsular Malaysia to serve in Sabah and Sarawak may alleviate teacher shortage in the interim, teachers who are public servants should not be used as a tool to promote Islamisation in Sabah and Sarawak,” ACS said in a statement.
The ACS also called on the federal government to honour the undertakings of religious freedom and Borneanisation of the public service as guaranteed in the Inter- Governmental Committee ( IGC) Report, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution.