KUALA LUMPUR – A civil society group today presented a memorandum to Istana Negara, outlining alleged double standards and inaction by authorities against what they described as extremist Islamic preachers who promote hate speech and discrimination against other religions.
The Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) said the government and authorities have done nothing despite their numerous complaints, which included legal suits that were dismissed by the courts.
GHRF president S. Shashi Kumar said they will also write in officially to the palace to seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, on the advice of palace officials.
He said the group, which represents 62 non-governmental organisations, were left with no choice but to seek the aid of the king as they were “fed up” with the inaction by the government, regardless of whether it was under the Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Harapan coalitions.
“We came up to this extent because we have totally lost hope in the government and authorities. We have lodged police reports and taken this to court but nothing has taken place,” Shashi told journalists outside the national palace.
“Until today, I don’t see anything (being done) pertaining to matters (of) insulting non-Islamic religions by these preachers.
“They have not been arrested or charged and the question is why is there a double standard policy here in Malaysia? They keep on insulting other faiths in this country.”
Shashi questioned why police were so quick to arrest writer Uthaya Sankar S.B., who is being investigated for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.
He said Uthaya was arrested within 72 hours of a police report being lodged, but controversial Islamic preachers were “walking scot-free”.
“They have made remarks that say we are satanic or devil-worshippers, and that the Dayaks, the Christians, the Hindus and Buddhists are here to kill and destroy Islam, yet they are not being arrested for being so seditious,” Shashi said, without mentioning specific preachers.
“This is disrupting the unity of the nation and we do not want this.”
In January, GHRF threatened to take the matter to the Malay rulers if the Malaysian Islamic Development Department decided not to take action against extremist preachers.
The group also questioned the lack of urgency shown by the police, despite 6,000 reports being lodged against those who allegedly insulted non-Muslim religions since 2016. – The Vibes, April 13, 2022
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