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The undersigned NGOs and other signatories jointly express their utmost alarm and concern over the continuing federal breaches of MA63 (if valid) and the destruction of MA63 secularism concept.
“WE in Sabah and Sarawak strongly oppose the proposed Mufti Bill 2024 that seeks to expand the powers of the Mufti in the Federal Territories.
We firmly reject any move to be ruled by Muftis, as this would effectively sideline the constitutional monarchy, the Madani government, and the secular parliamentary democracy that Malaysia is built upon.
Such a change would transform Malaysia into an Islamic state overnight. ”The ongoing violations of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) have reached a critical point, with recent developments such as the recent halal certification issue, the divisive #RUU355Bill, appointment of halal inspectors and the impending passage of the Mufti Bill 2024.
These measures represent yet more serious breaches of MA63 and have sparked widespread concern among citizens, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
It is also opposed by Muslim people who are concern that “the Mufti Bill marks a more explicit sectarian turn in the bureaucratisation of Islam since the 2000s, aiming to institutionalise Sunni Ash’arism as the state-sanctioned version of Islam”.
The politicisation of ideologies “will foster intolerance and radicalism by promoting dehumanising values and undermining democracy”.(quotes from Competing Sectarianism in Malaysia By Aizat Shamsuddin October 08, 2024) TheDiplomat https://thediplomat.com/2024/10/competing-sectarianisms-in-malaysia/ )
These actions constitute direct attacks on the secular system, which was a fundamental guarantee to Sabah and Sarawak when Malaysia and also the Malayan Federation were set up.
The cumulative effect of these breaches highlights a pattern of erosion of the constitutional safeguards that were intended to protect the pluralistic and secular nature of the federation.
Historical Context and Guarantees for a Secular System in Malaysia’s Formation
When Malaysia was set up in 1963 under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Sabah and Sarawak were promised autonomy and guarantees including protection of their secular and pluralist systems as inducement to give up their demands for real independence.
Unlike Malaya, where Islam was the official religion, Sabah and Sarawak were guaranteed the right to maintain their secular identities. It was an agreed term that there would have “no state religion” for the two states.
This was a key factor in their decision to join Malaya and Singapore to set up the federation. However, over the past 61 years, these promises have been systematically violated.
This term was broken when the Sabah Constitution was amended to make Islam the state religion and the Sarawak Constitution amended to make the Agong the Head of Islam in Sarawak, a change that was never intended when Malaysia was created.
These amendments which could only have proceeded with the blessings of the federal government, effectively introduced Islam as an official religion in the states, contrary to the original terms of MA63.
In the 1970s the federal government in breach of UN human rights and international laws and the federal constitution, had initiated population re-engineering of Sabah by flooding it with southern Philippines refugees transforming it into a Muslim majority in Sabah.
These changes were not only unconstitutional but also deeply troubling for the pluralistic and secular foundations upon which Malaysia was meant to stand.
The Mufti Bill and Its Far-Reaching Implications
The Mufti Bill, which is set to be passed on 16 or 17 October 2024, is yet another alarming development that further erodes the damaged secular structure of Malaysia.
This 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. The Mufti could even appoint advisors from outside the federation, allowing external religious influence to shape domestic laws.
Muftis have no jurisdiction in Parliament as they are not elected representatives of the people. Elevating their influence would ultimately lead to a situation where "the entire Federation could be ruled by Muftis.
"The broad powers of the Mufti under this bill pose a direct threat to the secular system. Non Muslims could be forced to comply with Islamic decrees, further deepening the Islamization and destabilising foundations of the federation.
The bill exemplifies how the federal government, particularly under the current Madani administration, has accelerated the process of dismantling the secular foundations of the nation.
This trend, which began decades ago, has now reached a critical point where secularism is at risk of being completely replaced by a race-religion apartheid system.
The Violation of the Basic Structure Doctrine and International Law
The secular pluralist system promised under MA63 has been replaced by a race-religion apartheid system embodied by the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the ideology of Ketuanan Melayu.
This was never a negotiated item of the Malaysia Agreement. These developments violate the Basic Structure Doctrine of the Malaysian Constitution, which protects the fundamental pillars of the federation, including secularism and federalism.
The imposition of race and religion-based policies not only undermines the Constitution but also breaches international law.
MA63 is an international treaty, and the ongoing violations of its terms—particularly the dismantling of the secular system—render it null and void.
The treaty’s core promises, including the preservation of secularism in Sabah and Sarawak, have been systematically violated, giving these states the right to reconsider their position within the federation.
Conclusion: The Right to Self-Determination
We affirm our support for the right of all citizens to freedom of religion and belief, as guaranteed under the terms of MA63. The recent halal certification issue, the divisive #RUU355Bill, appointment of halal inspectors in government departments and the imminent passage of the Mufti Bill represent only the latest in a long series of breaches of MA63.
These actions have fundamentally undermined the secular, pluralist system upon which Malaysia was built.
The violations of the treaty, alongside the imposition of a race-religion apartheid system, have effectively terminated the validity of MA63.
The federal government has failed to uphold its obligations, and the systematic erosion of the secular foundation of the nation has breached both the spirit and the letter of the agreement.
Sabah and Sarawak now have unchallengeable legal and moral grounds to assert their right to self-determination.
The destruction of the secular system, which was meant to protect the unique status of these regions, has violated their rights under the federation.
The allocation of 34.6% of seats in the Dewan Rakyat, a principle rooted in constitutional and historical obligations, was meant to safeguard the interests of Sabah and Sarawak. Yet even this has been undermined, leaving the regions vulnerable to domination by the more populous Malaya.
Given these multiple breaches, it is time for the people and governments of Sabah and Sarawak to reassess the future of Sabah and Sarawak within Malaysia.
The erosion of the secular system and the imposition of race-religion policies have fundamentally altered the nature of the federation, and it is now clear that MA63 has been rendered null and void by Malaya’s actions.
We, the undersigned NGOs and other signatories, hereby declare that the Malaysian government’s blatant breaches of the founding principles of the Malaysia Agreement 1963(MA63, if valid) constitutes its unilateral termination.
Consequently, we are no longer bound by the terms of MA63. We demand that the Sabah and Sarawak governments immediately defend our rights and pursue our rightful exit from this failed federation without delay.
Endorsed by:
1. Daniel John Jambun - President, Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)
2. Robert Pei - President, Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand, (SSRANZ)
3. Peter John Jaban - Founder, SAS Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS)
4. Mosses Paul Anap Ampang - President, Republic Sabah North Borneo (RSNB)
5. Voon Lee Shan - President, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK)
6. Timothy Jagak - Dayak Cultural Ambassador for Gabungan Orang Asal Sabah/ Sarawak (GOASS)
7. Ahmad bin Awang Ali, Pusat Latihan Orang Asal Sarawak
8. Alim GA Mideh - Bulang Birieh Dayak Civil Movement
9. Dr Kanul Gindol - Chairman, Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo
10. Jovilis Majami - President, Persatuan Pembangunan Sosial Komuniti Sabah (BANGUN)
11. Cleftus Stephen Mojingol - President, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS)
12. Michael Jok - Secretary General, Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS)
13. Paul Rajah Legal - Adviser, Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS)
Versi Bahasa Malaysia:
Berikut adalah terjemahan pernyataan tersebut ke dalam bahasa Malaysia:
11 Oktober 2024
NGO dan penandatangan di bawah ini bersama-sama menyatakan kebimbangan yang amat serius terhadap pelanggaran berterusan Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63) (jika sah) dan pemusnahan konsep sekularisme yang terkandung dalam MA63.
“Kami di Sabah dan Sarawak dengan tegas menentang Rang Undang-Undang Mufti 2024 yang dicadangkan, yang bertujuan untuk memperluaskan kuasa Mufti di Wilayah Persekutuan.
Kami dengan tegas menolak sebarang langkah untuk diperintah oleh Mufti, kerana ini akan mengetepikan monarki berperlembagaan, kerajaan Madani, dan demokrasi berparlimen sekular yang menjadi asas Malaysia.
Perubahan sedemikian akan mengubah Malaysia menjadi sebuah negara Islam dalam sekelip mata." Pelanggaran berterusan terhadap Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63) telah mencapai tahap kritikal, dengan perkembangan terkini seperti isu pensijilan halal, Rang Undang-Undang #RUU355 yang memecah belah, pelantikan pemeriksa halal, dan cadangan penggubalan Rang Undang-Undang Mufti 2024.
Langkah-langkah ini merupakan pelanggaran serius terhadap MA63 dan telah menimbulkan kebimbangan meluas di kalangan rakyat, terutama di Sabah dan Sarawak.
Malah, langkah ini juga ditentang oleh sebahagian orang Islam yang bimbang bahawa “Rang Undang-Undang Mufti ini menandakan langkah sektarian yang lebih jelas dalam birokrasi Islam sejak tahun 2000-an, yang bertujuan untuk menginstitusikan Sunni Ash’arisme sebagai versi Islam yang disahkan oleh negara".
Politik ideologi ini “akan mendorong intoleransi dan radikalisme dengan mempromosikan nilai-nilai yang tidak manusiawi dan melemahkan demokrasi.” (Petikan dari Competing Sectarianism in Malaysia oleh Aizat Shamsuddin, 8 Oktober 2024, The Diplomat)
Tindakan ini adalah serangan langsung terhadap sistem sekular, yang merupakan jaminan asas kepada Sabah dan Sarawak ketika Malaysia dan juga Persekutuan Tanah Melayu ditubuhkan.
Kesan kumulatif daripada pelanggaran ini menunjukkan corak penghakisan terhadap perlindungan perlembagaan yang bertujuan untuk melindungi sifat pluralistik dan sekular persekutuan.
Konteks Sejarah dan Jaminan untuk Sistem Sekular dalam Pembentukan Malaysia
Ketika Malaysia ditubuhkan pada 1963 di bawah Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63), Sabah dan Sarawak dijanjikan autonomi dan jaminan termasuk perlindungan sistem sekular dan pluralistik mereka sebagai syarat untuk melepaskan tuntutan kemerdekaan sebenar mereka.
Tidak seperti Malaya, di mana Islam adalah agama rasmi, Sabah dan Sarawak dijamin hak untuk mengekalkan identiti sekular mereka. Adalah terma yang dipersetujui bahawa tidak akan ada "agama rasmi" untuk kedua-dua negeri ini.
Ini adalah faktor utama dalam keputusan mereka untuk bergabung dengan Malaya dan Singapura untuk menubuhkan persekutuan. Bagaimanapun, sepanjang 61 tahun yang lalu, janji-janji ini telah dilanggar secara sistematik.
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Rang Undang-Undang Mufti dan Implikasinya yang Luas
Rang Undang-Undang Mufti, yang dijangka diluluskan pada 16 atau 17 Oktober 2024, merupakan satu lagi perkembangan yang membimbangkan, yang terus menghakis struktur sekular Malaysia yang sudah rosak.
Rang undang-undang ini akan memberi kuasa yang luas kepada Mufti, membolehkan mereka mengeluarkan fatwa yang boleh memberi kesan besar kepada umat Islam dan bukan Islam.
Fatwa-fatwa ini boleh mengatasi kuasa Parlimen dan mahkamah, secara efektif meletakkan undang-undang agama di atas undang-undang sivil. Mufti juga boleh melantik penasihat dari luar persekutuan, membolehkan pengaruh agama luar membentuk undang-undang domestik.
Mufti tidak mempunyai bidang kuasa dalam Parlimen kerana mereka bukan wakil rakyat yang dipilih. Meningkatkan pengaruh mereka akan membawa kepada keadaan di mana "seluruh Persekutuan boleh diperintah oleh Mufti."
Kuasa luas yang diberikan kepada Mufti di bawah rang undang-undang ini menimbulkan ancaman langsung kepada sistem sekular. Bukan Islam mungkin dipaksa mematuhi fatwa Islam, yang akan memperdalamkan proses Islamisasi dan menggoyahkan asas persekutuan.
Rang undang-undang ini menggambarkan bagaimana kerajaan persekutuan, terutamanya di bawah pentadbiran Madani, telah mempercepatkan proses meruntuhkan asas sekular negara.
Trend ini, yang bermula beberapa dekad yang lalu, kini telah mencapai titik kritikal di mana sekularisme berada dalam bahaya digantikan sepenuhnya oleh sistem apartheid kaum-agama.
Pelanggaran Doktrin Struktur Asas dan Undang-Undang Antarabangsa
Sistem sekular pluralistik yang dijanjikan di bawah MA63 telah digantikan oleh sistem apartheid kaum-agama yang dijelmakan oleh Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) dan ideologi Ketuanan Melayu.
Ini bukanlah sesuatu yang dirundingkan dalam Perjanjian Malaysia. Perkembangan ini melanggar Doktrin Struktur Asas Perlembagaan Malaysia, yang melindungi tiang asas persekutuan, termasuk sekularisme dan federalisme.
Pelaksanaan dasar berasaskan kaum dan agama bukan sahaja melemahkan Perlembagaan tetapi juga melanggar undang-undang antarabangsa.
MA63 adalah perjanjian antarabangsa, dan pelanggaran berterusan terhadap terma-terma perjanjian ini—terutamanya pemusnahan sistem sekular—membuatkan perjanjian ini tidak sah.
Janji-janji teras perjanjian itu, termasuk pemeliharaan sekularisme di Sabah dan Sarawak, telah dilanggar secara sistematik, memberikan hak kepada kedua-dua negeri ini untuk mempertimbangkan semula kedudukan mereka dalam persekutuan.
Kesimpulan: Hak untuk Penentuan Nasib Sendiri
Kami menegaskan sokongan kami terhadap hak semua rakyat untuk kebebasan beragama dan kepercayaan, seperti yang dijamin di bawah terma MA63. Isu pensijilan halal baru-baru ini, Rang Undang-Undang #RUU355 yang memecah belah, pelantikan pemeriksa halal dalam jabatan kerajaan dan penggubalan Rang Undang-Undang Mufti yang akan datang hanyalah antara pelanggaran terbaru terhadap MA63.
Tindakan-tindakan ini telah menghakis secara asas sistem sekular dan pluralistik yang menjadi asas Malaysia.
Pelanggaran terhadap perjanjian itu, bersama dengan pelaksanaan sistem apartheid kaum-agama, telah secara efektif menamatkan kesahihan MA63.
Kerajaan persekutuan telah gagal memenuhi tanggungjawabnya, dan penghakisan sistem sekular negara secara sistematik telah melanggar semangat dan surat perjanjian tersebut.
Sabah dan Sarawak kini mempunyai asas undang-undang dan moral yang tidak dapat dipertikaikan untuk menuntut hak penentuan nasib sendiri.
Pemusnahan sistem sekular, yang sepatutnya melindungi status unik kedua-dua wilayah ini, telah melanggar hak mereka di bawah persekutuan.
Peruntukan 34.6% kerusi di Dewan Rakyat, yang berakar pada kewajipan perlembagaan dan sejarah, bertujuan untuk melindungi kepentingan Sabah dan Sarawak. Namun, perkara ini juga telah dikikis, menjadikan kedua-dua wilayah ini terdedah kepada dominasi Malaya yang lebih ramai penduduknya.
Berdasarkan pelanggaran-pelanggaran ini, sudah tiba masanya untuk rakyat dan kerajaan Sabah dan Sarawak menilai semula masa depan mereka dalam Malaysia.
Penghakisan sistem sekular dan pelaksanaan dasar kaum-agama telah mengubah secara asas sifat persekutuan, dan kini jelas bahawa MA63 telah dianggap tidak sah oleh tindakan Malaya.
Kami, NGO dan penandatangan yang dinyatakan di bawah, dengan ini mengisytiharkan bahawa pelanggaran terang-terangan oleh kerajaan Malaysia terhadap prinsip-prinsip asas Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63, jika sah) merupakan penamatan sepihaknya.
Oleh itu, kami tidak lagi terikat dengan terma MA63. Kami menuntut agar kerajaan Sabah dan Sarawak segera mempertahankan hak kami dan mengusahakan keluar dari persekutuan yang gagal ini tanpa sebarang penangguhan.
Kenyataan Bersama :-
1. Daniel John Jambun - Presiden, Yayasan Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)
2. Robert Pei - Presiden, Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand, (SSRANZ)
3. Peter John Jaban - Pengasas, SAS Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS)
4. Mosses Paul Anap Ampang - Presiden, Republic Sabah North Borneo (RSNB)
5. Voon Lee Shan - Presiden, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK)
6. Timothy Jagak - Duta Budaya Dayak untuk Gabungan Orang Asal Sabah/ Sarawak (GOASS)
7. Ahmad bin Awang Ali - Pusat Latihan Orang Asal Sarawak
8. Alim GA Mideh - Bulang Birieh Dayak Civil Movement
9. Dr Kanul Gindol - Pengerusi, Inisiatif Gindol untuk Masyarakat Madani Borneo
10. Jovilis Majami - Presiden, Persatuan Pembangunan Sosial Komuniti Sabah (BANGUN)
11. Cleftus Stephen Mojingol - Presiden, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS)
12. Michael Jok - Setiausaha Agung, Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS)
13. Paul Rajah - Penasihat Undang-Undang, Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS)
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