Malaysian minority ministers retract call for review of
religious laws
By VIJAY JOSHI
Associated Press Writer
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Cabinet ministers from Malaysia's
ethnic minorities have retracted a memo seeking a review of laws
affecting religious minorities, after the unprecedented request
sparked an uproar in the ruling Malay Muslim party.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who criticized the ministers
for making the request in writing instead of raising it in a
Cabinet meeting, said Saturday night they agreed to withdraw the
document on his advice.
"People felt they shouldn't have done it in the first place. Now
those who submitted the memorandum have retracted it. So it is
over," Abdullah told reporters.
The withdrawal of the memorandum, submitted to Abdullah on
Wednesday, sent a clear message that his United Malays National
Organization party, which dominates Malaysia's coalition
government, would brook no insubordination from minority Indian and
Chinese parties.
Behind the unease in UMNO is the fear that any display of
disaffection in the Cabinet will upset the racial and religious
harmony that the multiethnic country has enjoyed almost unbroken
for more than four decades.
The matter should be discussed in a family spirit, otherwise "it
could give the impression that the Malaysian Cabinet is divided
between Muslims and non-Muslims," Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak
said.
The memorandum had sought a review of Article 121(A) of the
Constitution, which says civil courts have no jurisdiction over the
Islamic Sharia Court system in the Muslim-majority country. The
memo also asked for changes to laws on religious conversions, which
appear to favor Muslims.
It was signed by nine of the 10 ministers in the Cabinet of Indian,
Chinese and indigenous tribal descent. The 10th minister was out of
the country. The 10 represent the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian
religions.
On Friday, Abdullah rejected any amendment of Article 121(A) but
said ambiguous laws on religion will be reviewed.
Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting, the head of the
Malaysian Chinese Association party, said the ministers did not
intend to pressure the government but make known the concerns of
non-Muslims.
But "as advised by the P.M., submitting the memo is procedurally
inappropriate. Following his advice, we have withdrawn the memo,"
he said in a statement.
Malays comprise 60 percent of the country's 26 million people, and
dominate politics and the government. The Indian and Chinese
parties are given a share of the government, but have rarely
questioned UMNO's policies.
The nation has been caught in a controversy over minority rights
since last month, when a Hindu-born soldier, Maniam Moorthy, was
buried as a Muslim by Islamic authorities who claimed he had
converted to Islam without informing his family.
The Sharia Court ruled in favor of the Islamic authorities and
refused to hear an appeal by Moorthy's widow because she is not a
Muslim. The civil High Court also rejected the widow's plea, saying
it has no jurisdiction over a Sharia Court decision because of the
constitution.
Maximus Ongkili, another minister, said the memorandum was only a
collation of views of various minority groups on plugging the legal
loophole exposed by the Moorthy case.
"The ministers felt that rather than giving our views individually
on the various proposals, it would be more constructive and neater
to forward the submission under a joint cover note," Ongkili was
quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.