(Kuching, 6th) Sarawak People's United Party (SUPP) Secretary-General Dato' Chen Chao Yao emphasized that Sarawak does not need the new guideline introduced by the federal government to regulate Muslim participation in non-Muslim celebrations and ceremonies.
He responded today to the statement made by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Dato' Mohd. Na'im Mokhtar, who revealed in the Parliament yesterday that the federal government will implement new guidelines to regulate Muslim participation in non-Muslim celebrations and ceremonies.
“According to the minister's written response, this new guideline requires any activities involving Muslims to receive approval from the religious authorities, and the content of the activities must not contain elements that could offend Muslim sensitivities.”
Chen Chao Yao expressed that SUPP fully understands and respects the minister's position in proposing this guideline, but emphasized that Sarawak does not have an official religion, as stated in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
“Therefore, when formulating any guidelines involving religion, including Islam, consideration must be given to the guarantees provided by this founding agreement.”
He said that Sarawak has long been praised as a model of religious tolerance and harmony, where Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and various indigenous beliefs coexist harmoniously with mutual respect among people, who often celebrate each other's festivals together.
“This spirit of unity is deeply rooted in Sarawak's culture, so interfaith marriages, mixed-ethnicity communities, and strong social cohesion are common phenomena in Sarawak.”
He noted that SUPP commends the Sarawak government for its important role in upholding religious freedom and promoting interfaith understanding, making Sarawak a model of multicultural unity, and as part of the Sarawak government, we are proud of it.
“We believe that the people of Sarawak do not need such a guideline, and that the new guideline is unnecessary in Sarawak and overly intrusive.”
Chen Chao Yao is concerned that excessive regulation of religious activities or undue focus on religious sensitivities, especially when these issues do not truly trouble the people, may instead create unnecessary divisions.
He stated that Sarawak can be a model of harmony because religious harmony naturally forms, with people spontaneously respecting one another, rather than relying on externally imposed norms.
“Thus, the forced implementation of overly rigid guidelines could instead cause misunderstandings, suspicions, and even disrupt the existing harmonious social atmosphere, which not only fails to promote unity but instead creates unnecessary barriers between people.”
He believes a better approach is to encourage open dialogue, mutual understanding, and strengthen education on religious diversity, while allowing people the freedom to maintain their own traditions.
“From a national perspective, policymaking must strike a balance between respecting religious beliefs and maintaining social tolerance, and Sarawak's successful experience has proven that trust and natural coexistence are far more effective than overregulation.”
Therefore, Chen Chao Yao called on the federal government to re-examine the necessity of the guideline and ensure that the formulation of policies does not inadvertently foster intolerance but should aim to promote unity and harmony as the ultimate goal.