Page 22 - Newsfeed March 2025

时事回应 CURRENTAFFAIRS

YBAM Urges Prime Minister to Intervene and Stop
Non-Muslim Religious Celebrations and Funerals

Guideline that Hinder Social Harmony

The Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) strongly opposes the
issuance of the restrictive guideline on celebrations and funeral activities at non-
Muslim religious sites that could disrupt social harmony. The Minister in the Prime
Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dahlk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, stated in a
written response in the Malaysian Parliament on 4 February 2025 to two Members of
Parliament from the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) that the government intends to
issue a guideline to regulate Muslim participation in non-Muslim celebrations. This
move is expected to severely impact the existing principles of equality, freedom, and
democratic participation in interfaith interactions.

While the guideline contains a provision aiming at preventing 3R (Race, Religion,
Royalty) issues - such as prohibiting performance or statements that insult or mock
Islamic beliefs - other provisions introduce new restrictions on celebrations and
funerals that were previously unrestricted. These include prohibiting speeches or songs
that promote or propagate other religions, banning events during Muslim prayer times,
forbidding events near mosques, prayer rooms, Muslim cemeteries, or land owned by
Muslim religious or community organisations, and prohibiting the display of symbols or
attributes of non-Islamic religions at event venues. These restrictions require extensive,
regressive, and counterproductive adjustments to interfaith events intended to
promote mutual understanding, interaction, and care, including changes to ceremonial
processes, schedules, and venue planning, ultimately disrespecting the autonomy of
non-Islamic religions.

YBAM also noted concerns over the suggestion that organisers must seek
permission from relevant authorities when inviting Muslim leaders or individuals and
consult Islamic religious authorities before holding any celebrations. This level of
intervention could be seen as excessive interference in non Islamic religious affairs.
YBAM questions whether these authorities can fairly respect the unique rituals and
practical needs of each religion, focusing instead on harmony, understanding, and care
among Malaysians rather than the rigid implementation of the guideline.

YBAM hopes that Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim will intervene to stop
the issuance of this regressive guideline. With Malaysia serving as the Chair of ASEAN
in 2025 under the theme of 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', this guideline contradicts
that spirit and risk suppressing democratic spaces for cross-civilisational, interfaith,
inter-ethnic, inter-belief, and intercultural interactions. YBAM urges the government to
demonstrate a conscious commitment to safeguarding democratic and pluralistic
interactions, ensuring that efforts to build a harmonious and diverse Malaysian society
do not regress.

5 February 2025

21