KUCHING: Sarawak would not have agreed to the formation of Malaysia 50 years ago if it was an Islamic state, says Sarawak’s opposition leader.

To end arguments about Malaysia being an Islamic state, PKR state chairman Baru Bian pointed out that Sarawak  signed the Malaysia Agreement with a secular state, as shown in historical documents and legal judgments.

He also urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to make a stand to correct the wrong that has been done, to stop extremists from becoming even bolder in their outrageous claims.

In a statement issued yesterday, Baru pointed out that the founding father, Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman, stated it plainly in Parliament: “I would like to make it clear that this country is not an Islamic State as it is generally understood, we merely provided that Islam shall be the official religion of the State [Hansard, May 1,1958].”

“How much clearer can it be that the intention was the establishment of a secular state? Are the rabble-rousing Islamic country champions going to tell us that Bapa Malaysia was confused?” asked Baru, the Be’kelalan state assemblyman.

“During the talks leading to the formation of Malaysia, the non-Muslim communities of Sarawak had voiced their reservations about Islam being the religion of the Federation.

“It was finally agreed that ‘While there was no objection to Islam being the national religion of Malaysia there should be no State religion in Sarawak, and the provisions relating to Islam in the present Constitution of Malaya should not apply to Sarawak.’

“The absence of a state religion was key to Sarawak’s agreement to join in the formation of Malaysia in 1963, due to the wisdom of our forefathers,” he said.

“If the Malayan political, social and religious landscape in 1961 had been what it is currently in Peninsular Malaysia, I have no doubt that Sarawakians would never have agreed to be part of the Federation,” he said.

“If Malaysia is indeed held to be an Islamic state, I will propose to the Sarawak government that our case be brought to an international forum for adjudication based on misrepresentation and fraud,” said Baru.

For now, Baru asked that the parliamentarians from Sarawak and Sabah take a stand on this issue and be heard in and out of Parliament, to safeguard the Federal Constitution and secularity.

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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on June 19, 2014.