PETALING JAYA: Non-Muslims must respect and refrain from interfering in matters relating to Islamic affairs, says Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
His Royal Highness, who is also chairman of the National Council for Islamic Affairs Malaysia (MKI), said this in response to a recent proposal by the DAP’s Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham to include non-Muslim legal experts in the special committee to study the proposal to strengthen the Syariah Court’s role.
“His Royal Highness hopes that politicians, especially non-Muslims, refrain from continuously interfering in Islamic matters.
“Instead, non-Muslims should emulate Muslims, who do not interfere in the religious affairs of other faiths in Malaysia,” Sultan Sharafuddin said in a statement posted on the Selangor Royal Office’s Facebook page yesterday.
His Royal Highness said the special committee consists of experts who are well-versed in various aspects involving legal and Islamic affairs.
Sultan Sharafuddin said he has also taken note of the statement issued by DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke yesterday, where the latter expressed regret over Ngeh’s statement, calling it “an oversight”.
On Thursday, Ngeh said the Federal Government’s recently-formed committee headed by former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi to study conflicts between syariah laws and the Federal Constitution, does not seem to have any non-Muslims on board.
“It is important to also appoint non-Muslim constitutional experts into the committee so that non-Muslim views with regard to provisions in the Federal Constitution will also be taken into account before any proposal for change in our laws is made.
“A representative from the Malaysian Bar is a must as this is a statutory body formed to ensure the laws passed in our country are fair and just,” Ngeh said.
