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Sarawak Minister to CSOs: Why worry over bill not affecting Sabah and Sarawak?

KUCHING: A Sarawak minister today questioned why 14 East Malaysian civil society organisations are getting 'excited' over the proposed Mufti Bill (Federal Territories) 2024, since it does not apply to Sarawak and Sabah.

State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the bill would only involve the Federal Territories if it passed in the Parliament.

Karim, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera vice-president, said that Islamic laws fall under the jurisdiction of each state in the federation.

However, since the federal territories are not states and do not have state governments, the proposed legislation was brought to Parliament for approval.

"It's (the law) not even applicable to Sabah and Sarawak. (So) why do you have to get excited and make all those comments," he said.

Karim was asked to comment on the bill, which the CSOs claimed last Friday "would transform Malaysia into an Islamic state overnight."

The CSOs also claimed the bill, if passed, would undermine the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) that promised the two Borneo territories autonomy and guarantees including protection of their secular and pluralist systems. 

"It's only applicable in the federal territories. You get excited for no reason," Karim said.

He said the bill might not even see the light of say.

"It's still a proposal. Don't get excited over something that has not happened."

The CSOs, which included Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo), Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand, (SSRANZ), Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS), and Republic Sabah North Borneo (RSNB), also claimed the bill "would grant sweeping powers to the mufti, enabling the issuance of religious decrees that could have significant impacts on both Muslims and non-Muslims alike."

"These decrees could bypass the authority of parliament and the courts, effectively placing religious law above civil law," they added.

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