People in Sabah and Sarawak, of all religious persuasions, gather at the same table in public without the need for any form of religious certification!
CPI PRESS STATEMENT
The recent announcement by Communications Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, that the placement of Islamic Development Department (Jakim) officers in government departments was not for policy making but “to oversee the integrity and spiritual well-being of civil servants” does not allay or address the concerns of political parties, politicians and the public in Sabah and Sarawak.
We are also very apprehensive about the proposal in which Jakim was considering making halal certification compulsory for restaurants and food establishments that do not serve pork or alcohol. This latest Malaysia Madani policy measure will have serious negative ramifications and ripple effects - intended and unintended - on society and community in Sabah and Sarawak.
We are proud of our multi-religious and multicultural way of life. It is one in which people of all religious persuasions gather at the same table in public and eat, drink and socialise in genuine harmony and unity - without the need for any form of religious certification.
It is unnecessary and regressive to make it compulsory for non-Muslim shops to obtain halal certification; and to place Jakim officers to exercise religious oversight on government agencies in the Borneo region where liberal and secular norms have been the heritage and practice.
We call on the Federal authorities and government to consult and engage with our political, business, social and religious leaders before implementation of these two and other similar policy measures.
We also call on all stake players and stakeholders from Sabah and Sarawak, including the media, to share and disseminate widely their opposition to any unwarranted, ill-advised and politically opportunistic measure of Madani or any other religiously driven policy measure or action.
This Press Statement was issued by the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI), newly relaunched, as online Borneo-centric Think Tank and website.
Anthony Kiob CEO
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why don't JAKIM also supervise that all muslim brush their teeth the islamic way? Breath the Islamic way and why all the fuss about halal food certification? THe seventh day evangelist practice of healthy eating like avoiding white sugar, clean and unclean meat, from scientific evidence available that as a whole seventh day evangelists have better health than those who eat indiscriminately .
Where are the evidences that halal certified food such as margarine, aspartame and other chemical additives approved certified by JAKIM has led to better health to faithful followers of this certification? What about halal education of their religious school has this mass production of religious education produced a more intelligent, diligent and productive work force? What is the purpose of this religious policing ? More employment for JAKIM enforcers?
Why don't JAKIM holds a debate to contending and opposite thinkers about the usefulness of all these useless and futile exercises which cost money, time and human resources wastage?
Why don't JAKIM involved themselves in useful and beneficial activity like inculcating conducts which prevent sodomy, perverted sexual activity, boredom and antisocial behaviours?
The biggest and greatest challenges facing JAKIM is how to culture and nurture productive hard working believers of their religion.
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ”
― Alvin Toffler (4 Oct 1928- 27 June 2016)
He who will not reason, is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave.
Sir William Drummond (26 Sept 1769-29 March 1828)
The failure to learn what is truth in economy. science and technology and other reality of life is the culprit of that is responsible for the failure of society which to turn to religious solution as a substitute rather than turning to real thinking which led to success. Besides, failure to think and reason the equally poor and disastrous management of emotion is what cripples the society to such a pathetic state.
Its time to de Sinofy Sarawak and to move on to clean out each state in Malaysia of pig eaters. They eat their pig food with impunity in a Muslim state. They are given freedoms to engage in thir cuisine which includes dog, cat meat and anything that crawls. Thats the Chinese population for you.
Why not clean up this crowd and enforce Halal which is the prerogative of the country to safeguard the religious and cultural pactices of the majority who are Malays whether Iban, Dyak or otherwise-They are Malay.