KUALA LUMPUR – The government has scrapped the proposed guidelines on Muslims attending non-Muslim festivities, funerals, or events at non-Muslim places of worship, confirming that any advice from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) will not be considered policy.
In a joint statement, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar and National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the Cabinet decided against implementing the guidelines after they “caused confusion” among Malaysians of different races and religions.
“The Cabinet has agreed that Jakim can provide advice to Muslims regarding the need to safeguard the akidah (creed) of the Muslims regarding this matter.
“However, those advice are not policy in nature,” the ministers said.
The decision follows reports that the Cabinet had opposed the proposal, which had drawn criticism from various quarters over concerns it could undermine multiracial and multireligious harmony.
The Cabinet has also reminded that every single policy formulated needs to take into account national unity and obtain its consent in the first place, added the duo
At the same time, the National Unity Ministry would continue to intensify its implementation of Dialog Harmoni to strengthen harmony and encourage interaction between followers of various faiths in this country.
“Inclusive discussions that take into consideration sensitivities of all parties are important in fostering national unity.
“Therefore all matters related to interfaith harmony will be further discussed in the meeting held by the Interfaith Harmony Committee (JK Harmoni),” added the ministers.
The first committee meeting for this year is scheduled to take place this month, where views from all 24 religious representatives including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, Taoism, and Baha’I will be heard.
The proposed guidelines have drawn brickbats from multiple quarters who are concerned about its impact on multiracial and multireligious harmony in this country.
Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has condemned the proposed guidelines, saying that the guidelines would negatively impact Muslim elected representatives, such as himself, who are often invited to events at non-Muslim places of worship in their constituencies.
“Muslim elected representatives who attend these events are obviously not there for worship, but to carry out our duties and responsibilities to our constituents,” the DAP lawmaker wrote in an Instagram Story.
Meanwhile, several Borneo groups have criticised the government for its proposal to impose restrictive religious rules on race relations in the federation. They said that the proposed guidelines are divisive, unfair, unjust and dictatorial.
Additionally, they also said that these guidelines breach citizens’ civil and human rights, and racial harmony.
“As proud citizens of Sabah and Sarawak, we have long upheld the values of religious tolerance, mutual respect, and multicultural harmony. In Borneo, it is normal for families to have members of different faiths, for friends to celebrate each other’s religious festivals, and for communities to support one another regardless of religious background.
“This is not just our tradition— it is our identity, enshrined in the foundational principles of secularism and pluralism that underpin the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” said the groups in a joint statement. – February 7, 2025