Cahaya's Rants

Tolerance is a basic principle of Islam. Yeah, right.

KUALA LUMPUR: Non-Muslims should not interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims, as this will make the Muslims uneasy.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz warned that the Government would not hesitate to use the Sedition Act against those who insulted Islam.

“We will not think twice about using this law against anybody who incites,” he said, adding this was the reason the Act and the Internal Security Act was needed.

Expressing his concern about some recent articles written by non-Muslims, he said the tolerance level among Muslims was high.

“But you must remember the word amok comes from this country and there is a limit to everything,” he said, telling non-Muslims not to make comments or write articles on Islam that could be construed as belittling the religion.

“I want to remind non-Muslims to refrain from making statements on something they do not understand,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby after receiving a joint memorandum by a coalition of 43 Muslim non-governmental organisations yesterday.

“We do not want to take away your rights but religion is an important matter, especially to the Muslims,” he said.

The memorandum declares the group’s support for the Government’s stand that the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) (Amendment) 2005 does not contradict the Syariah Law and does not discriminate against women.

Nazri said present laws were sufficient to punish those who insulted Islam.

He said there was also no need to have a law to curb open discussions as the people could practise mutual respect, tolerance and understanding while taking into consideration religious sensitivities.

On whether non-Muslim journalists should not write about issues concerning Islam, Nazri said they should know what they could or could not write.

“However, there are some things which should not be touched on,” he said.

(The Star Online)