A GROUP of five led by Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) has pursued legal action against Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Idrus Harun and Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain over the authorities’ failure to prosecute controversial preacher Syakir Nasoha.
The other four members of the group are Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak, the Sarawak Association for People’s Aspiration, Ex-Students of Chinese Schools and Pertubuhan Malaysia Tamilar Munnetra Kalagam.
The five who filed the application through Messrs Gunaseelan & Associates also want a declaration that the refusal to act against Syakir was unlawful and an abuse of power on the part of IGP and the AG.
The judicial review proceedings against the AG and IGP was heard in front of Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today. A judgment will be delivered on Sept 26 at 2.30pm.
Commenting on the court hearing, GHRF’s deputy president Peter John Jaban expressed his disappointment by claiming that Malaysians have lost trust on the authorities who were supposed to protect and act in accordance with Article 8 of the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara.
“Instead of the authorities acting on the matter, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) such as GHRF and others have to take up such high-profile public interest cases to protect the multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious Malaysians,” lamented Jaban in a statement.
He further called on the unity government to take matters such as racism, fanaticism and extremism seriously as well as to implement a Racial & Religious Hate Act to protect Malaysians from double standard policies, especially when the country is part of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In October last year, a video of Syakir remarking that “at the end of time, disciples of non-Muslim religions will be scrambling together to kill Muslims in the world” made the rounds on social media and WhatsApp. He specifically referred to Hindus, Buddhists and Dayaks wanting to annihilate Muslims.
Jaban claimed Syakir has uploaded three videos on social media to propagate racism, fanaticism and extremism that threatens racial harmony and national unity among Malaysians.
“Here they (the AG’s Chambers and police) are only talking about one video which is enough to convict Syakir Nasoha under the Sedition Act. What about the other two videos?” asked Jaban.
He further alleged that this was not the first-time reports lodged with regard to Muslim preachers insulting and making defamatory speeches and statements about non-Islamic religions had been classified as NFA (no further action).
Similar police reports were lodged by GHRF against preachers Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu and Firdaus Wong Wai Hung, Idris Sulaiman and many others but no action were taken till to date.
“GHRF which was supported by 62 other NGOs had also submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya on March 10 this year but our efforts were in vain,” revealed Jaban.
“There are two more active cases pending in the court regarding allegations of insulting non-Islamic religions in this country.” – July 31, 2023
