Regarding the proposal to split the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) into separate portfolios, UMNO Secretary-General Datuk Asyraf expressed that there is no necessity for such measures. Moreover, all non-Muslim leaders in power have already agreed and signed an agreement not to violate the Federal Constitution, which clarifies the status of Islam.
Asyraf posted this response on Facebook today (13th) in response to the suggestion made by DAP Raub MP Chow Yu Hui on Wednesday (12th).
Chow Yu Hui proposed that the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Minister's role be split into two independent positions: Minister of Islamic Affairs and Minister of Non-Islamic Affairs, to be led by a respected non-Muslim leader specializing in handling non-Muslim community issues.
In response, Asyraf stated that regardless of whether it is the Democratic Action Party, the People's Justice Party, the Sabah Malaysian United People's Party, the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, or the Sarawak Parties Alliance, they have all signed agreements not to violate the Federal Constitution, which clarifies the sovereignty of Islam, Malay privileges, the Malay Rulers' sovereignty, and Malay as the national language.
He believed there is no need to establish a Non-Islamic Affairs Minister position, as these are under the jurisdiction of the current minister, and the Federal Constitution does not specify management guidelines for religions other than Islam.
He mentioned that amending the Constitution is the only way to establish a Non-Islamic Affairs Minister and emphasized that although all Muslims come from different political parties, what matters most is jointly safeguarding Islam in our country.