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时事回应 CURRENTAFFAIRS

was not rushed or influenced by any party. However, a total of 14 NGOs from
Sabah and Sarawak issued a joint statement on 11 October 2024, opposing the
bill on the grounds that it violates the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and
undermines the existing secular framework. Although the Minister of
Communications YB Ahmad Fahmi Bin Mohamed Fadzil stated on 12 October
2024 that the bill is similar to the Enakmen Fatwa Sabah approved 20 years ago
and will not turn Malaysia into an Islamic state, the potential impacts of this bill
towards the secular system of Malaysia, however, require further research.

While the provisions of The Mufti Bill (Federal Territories) 2024 focus on
strengthening the mechanism of mutfi, YBAM urges the public to critically
examine the potential impacts of this bill on various aspects including public
policy and governance, the legal system, religious freedom, cultural expression,
and national harmony. Key issues that need clarification include whether the bill
will prioritize religious law over civil rights or undermine the existing secular
framework and whether the powers granted to the Mufti will have a binding
legal effect on public conduct and existing civil laws, potentially affecting cultural
expression and national harmony. Additionally, there are concerns about
whether the introduction of this bill sets a precedent for a broader legal
framework that further embeds religious law into public policy, raising worries
about the future of secular governance in the country.

YBAM calls on elected representatives to ensure that these concerns and
considerations are reflected and clarified during the second and third readings
of the bill in Parliament, fulfilling their role in defending the nation’s secular
system and laws, while respecting Islam as the official religion and taking into
account Malaysia’s diverse context and social cohesion.

17 October 2024

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