Global Movement of Moderates
Foundation chief executive officer Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah says non-Muslims
should feel safe living in a country governed by Muslims, as Islam is a
religion of peace. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, June 21, 2014.State
religious authorities must return to Islam's true teachings and ensure
interfaith harmony is preserved in the country, the Global Movement of
Moderates Foundation (GMMF) said, in light of the ongoing Bible tussle between
Islamic bodies and Christians in Selangor.
GMMF chief executive officer Datuk
Saifuddin Abdullah said non-Muslims should feel safe living in a country
governed by Muslims, as Islam was a religion of peace.
"We must return to the true
teachings of Islam. For instance, there is no compulsion in religion. This
means, among others, that we cannot force upon others how they should practise
their religion.
"Muslims in power in a certain
area should guarantee the safety and harmony of other faith adherents so they
may practise their religion," the former Umno supreme council member told
The Malaysian Insider.
The Selangor Islamic Religious Council
(Mais) is refusing to return the 321 Bibles that the Selangor Islamic Religious
Department (Jais) seized from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) in January,
despite Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail's decision to close the
case.
Mais chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib
Mohd Isa said BSM could be charged under the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions
(Control of Propagation among Muslims) Enactment 1988 as the Bibles contained
the word “Allah” – which contravened the enactment.
On Thursday, the Sultan of
Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said Jais must refer the issue of
the seized Bibles to the public prosecutor.
The sultan's private secretary,
Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, said the sultan had called for the row over the BSM's
holy books to be resolved through the courts.
However, Saifuddin said that while
the A-G may evaluate the issue based on federal laws, and Mais based on state
laws, Muslims should also use their wisdom in handling the issue.
He said the Prophet Muhammad, whom
Muslims believe was the messenger of God, had provided the best example on how
to interact with non-Muslims.
"(When resolving such issues)
I would rather refer to Muslims' wisdom in managing their lives in a
multi-religious society, rather than the legal perspective.
"When interacting with
Christians, Prophet Muhammad was very wise. He did not disturb their churches
nor their practices," said Saifuddin.
On Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar's
refusal to take action in the interfaith child custody cases, Saifuddin said
the inspector-general of police must not be seen as taking sides.
"Khalid must act. He must make
a choice. An IGP cannot carry out his duty based on his faith, but his
position.
"An IGP could be Muslim,
Christian or a Buddhist, but he must still act according to the country's laws.
If the law says he must take action, then he must do so," said Saifuddin.
Khalid was served a court order on
Wednesday directing him to search and surrender Prasana Diksa (Ummu Habibah) to
her Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi.
Indira's lawyer, M. Kulasegaran,
said a copy of the order was given to the Perak police chief to track down the
child, who was with her father, Muslim convert Muhammed Ridzuan Abdullah.
Saifuddin said it was difficult to
understand Khalid's defiance, as all laws should be followed.
"I don't understand why Khalid
is acting this way. The IGP cannot be on anyone's side and must abide by the
law.
"If (he) doesn't like it, (he)
should ask Parliament to amend it," said Saifuddin.
On Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Razak's advice
that couples in custody rows refer to the Federal Court, Saifuddin said:
"It is difficult to comment. Because they both (Najib and Khalid) are
contradicting one another."
Last week, DAP legal bureau chief Gobind Singh Deo lodged a police report
against Khalid over his refusal to act on the civil court's orders in two child
custody cases where the parents were of different religions.
Gobind said the IGP's decision not to carry out the court orders had
wide-reaching repercussions as it would erode public confidence in the
judiciary as well as the justice system in the country.
The Puchong MP added that police had a duty to execute any valid order issued
by the courts, and failing to do so would place the judiciary under threat.
"A state of lawlessness would emerge as the authority of the courts has
been challenged by apparent inactivity from the police," he said, after
lodging a police report at the Batu 9 police station in Kajang. – June 21,
2014.
