KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government cannot just simply force a law onto the people without first studying the implications that it will have, Parti Bersatu Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said.
Pairin said this when asked to comment on the proposed amendment to Section 107(B) of the Administration of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 to allow just one parent to convert children to Islam.
The Deputy Chief Minister was of the opinion that any Bill which has the effect of curbing people’s liberty must be scrutinized closely before it is passed by Parliament.
“This Bill does not look like a straight forward one as there are matters which have to be considered and taken into account. It is not as simple as bringing it up in Parliament and expect everyone to pass it.
“This is something that involves freedom of religion that is enshrined in the Constitution and in this case, it involves minors who are not matured enough to make their own decisions yet especially when it comes to religion,” Pairin stressed.
Pairin pointed out that in the case of mixed marriages, the parents have to wait for the child to attain the age of 21 to make up his or her mind on which religion to follow.
In the case of a minor, he or she do not have a say as the parents or guardians will decide after discussing the matter and coming to an agreement, he stressed.
“This is not something that you can just look at and say ‘Yes’ to,” he said.
“We cannot just allow this to happen as the freedom of choice of a person must be considered. Therefore, the federal government should consider having it properly discussed within the cabinet itself,” he said.
This Bill cannot be forced through in Parliament as it must be looked at properly like the GST Bill, Pairin stressed.
Last Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had assured that all parties would be consulted before making any decision on the Bill.