The State of Pahang bans the placement of bibles and other non-Islamic materials in hotel rooms. The Pahang Islamic and Malay Customs Council (MAIP) has prohibited hotel proprietors in the state from placing religious reading materials of other religions other than Islam in their rooms (read here). The rationale given was that such placement is construed as propagation. This follows hot on the heels of what JAIS did in Selangor by confiscating bibles stored inside Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) premises, also on the reason of propagation.
What on earth is happening in Malaysia now? We get the rise of Islamic agencies in various states using the propagation enactments to curb expressions and practices of non-Islamic religions under the broadest interpretation of propagation.
Legal professionals debate the opinions whether such actions flies in the face of the interpretation of our Federal Constitution allowing for all religions to govern their own affairs and that actions done by JAIS and MAIP are unconstitutional.
But until the Supreme Court rules, the rest of the noise is more coffee shop talk amongst concerned Malaysians.
Why are our leaders remaining silent? In Malaysia, silence do mean consent and not that our country leaders are mulling over the how to respond either.
Proud 2B Malaysian 