”No” to religious-based criminal code punishments but “Yes” to focus on universal values

I refer to news reports by Bernama dated 19 Feb 2017 entitled “MCA Not Planning To Interfere In Act 355 Issues.” Similar news reports were also carried by other new agencies which give a misimpression on the position MCA holds regarding the proposed amendments in the Private Member’s Bill tabled by PAS on the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 355.

Confusion arises with regards to my response to a question posed by a reporter who had inquired regarding the attendance of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Major General Dato’ Seri Jamil Khir Baharom at the Himpunan RUU 355 organised by PAS on 18 Feb 2017.

On news reports quoting me as saying that “MCA has no plan whatsoever to interfere in issues relating to Islam, including the proposed amendments to Act 355”, this is a distortion to the contents of my comments in entirety.

I had responded that as a political party, MCA is not anti-Islam. MCA does not have any intention to interfere in the religion of Islam. However, as the proposed amendments to Act 355 by PAS have raised concerns among all ethnicities in our multi-racial society and threaten the peace and unity of Malaysia, MCA cannot simply keep silent.

If PAS would like to discuss about universal values in a multiracial society eg education, improving the economy, employment generation, attracting FDIs, gender equality, addressing problems faced by the rakyat should take priority over punishments along religious lines. If PAS is keen on these universal values, not only will MCA NOT oppose such universal values, but will fully support, even co-operate with PAS. In our highly developed and progressive society, punishments against people centred on religion-based criminal codes is not a subject which the rakyat should keep dwelling on.

Our MCA stand is that we do NOT agree to the proposed amendments to Act 355 as they will divide our nation, and create suspicions among the rakyat. Malaysia does not stand to benefit from the proposed amendments to Act 355.

Although supporters to the proposed amendments to Act 355 claim that the changes will not affect non-Muslims, we have to take cognition that non-Muslims are worried about any erosion of our Constitutional guarantees.

I believe the above explanation suffices and there should be no more distortion of my comments.

Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan
MCA Secretary General
Member of Parliament for Tanjung Malim
Minister of International Trade and Industry II

-MCA online-