Dayaks slam PAS, Umno Youth for slamming Chief Justice appointment

KUCHING: The Dayak National Congress (DNC) has criticised PAS and Umno Youth for denigrating the appointment of Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as Chief Justice of Malaysia.

DNC president Paul Raja said the profiling of Malanjum as a non-Muslim by PAS and Umno Youth was uncalled for.

“We would like to remind (them) that all religions command us to do good and to promote justice.

“So to pick on and cast aspersions on the Chief Justice as a non-Muslim does not help to promote justice,” he said in a statement Friday (July 13).

He was responding to the sarcastic congratulations by Umno Youth on Malanjum's appointment and PAS' claim that the legal rights of Muslims were under threat following the appointments of non-Muslims to the top legal positions of Chief Justice of Malaysia, Attorney General (Tommy Thomas) and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs (Liew Vui Keong).

Raja said being a non-Muslim did not restrict the Chief Justice from administering justice in the nation's highest court.

“The Chief Justice is a man who has wide experience and is the most qualified and most senior of the Justices of the Federal Court and therefore most suited to helm the judiciary.

“We must also remember that he is helming the civil court of Malaysia and not the syariah court,” he said.

Raja added that what was most important was that Malanjum fulfilled the legal and constitutional conditions to be appointed Chief Justice.

“The sad thing here is that in spite of his qualification, he has been overlooked on many occasions in the past," he said.

Raja also reminded PAS and Umno Youth that Malaysia was a multiracial country and that Sabah and Sarawak were part of the nation with many non-Muslims.

He said Sabahans and Sarawakians, like any other Malaysians, had the right to be appointed to the highest office in the civil service if they were so qualified.

“In fact, we would like to remind (them) that Article 153 of the Federal Constitution has been neglected by the previous regime, as far as the rights of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak are concerned, with regard to appointments in the civil service,” he said.

He added that PAS and Umno Youth should learn from Sabah and Sarawak how to live harmoniously in a multiracial society.

“PAS and Umno Youth should help to build a better Malaysia instead of trying to gain popularity using divisive means.

“We hope PAS and Umno Youth will learn their lesson and be more charitable in their political struggle to promote the rights and welfare of all Malaysians instead of being champions in suppressing other lawful citizens of this country,” he said.