The Orang Asli who are the oldest inhabitants in this land we all call home have been here before 2500 BC and continue to live here in peace with nature, with the people, their souls tied to the earth they know. The practise of animism and the believe in the presence of spirits continue to influence their lives until today.
Recently the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maik) stated that in 30 years time their ambition to convert all 16,000 Orang Asli in Kelantan to embrace Islam was met with many raised eyebrows. While the position of Islam as the religion of the state is clearly mentioned in the Federal Constitution Article 11 allows any persons to practise and profess their faiths freely. And this applies greatly to the who believe in animism and spirits. Any attempt to influence or disallow them to practise their faith freely will be deemed as going against the very grains of the fundamental provision which is freedom of religion and belief.
Any movement, whether state orchestrated or even by a national institution of higher learning is setback in a new Malaysia that was founded on the participation of Malaysians from all walks of life, of various creed, ethnicity, theology, gender and age under the Malaysian sun to vote out a kleptocratic Government and to vote in a Government that is by the people, of the people and for the people. The Malaysian people spoke as one voice to send a powerful message that they will no longer tolerate a tyrannical Government to continue to be in power.
In the case of the state of Kelantan, the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maik) is in a unique position to play an influential role as defenders of people of different faith that will be the corner stone in solidifying a cohesive Malaysian society by being the bridge to unify the diverse groups of people who live there.
UKM too, after almost 50 years of churning out great leaders like the Minister of Transport Anthony Loke, Deputy Speaker for the Dewan Rakyat Datuk Rashid Hasnon, Nenney Shushaidah Binti Shamsuddin one of the two female Syariah High Court Judges in Malaysia, Inspector General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador and many other diverse Malaysians, as an institution of higher learning has the moral duty to contribute to nation building, and ironic as the word “nation” appears in its title as the National University of Malaysia, working on ways to bring closer this assortment of people and culture we call Malaysia.
Two days ago, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, as an outspoken advocate for freedom of religion and belief at the International Conference on Cohesive Societies organised by Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies with the support of Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth called for joint efforts to tackle the world’s “single most” important threat – the attack on interfaith harmony, mutual respect and trust. The truth is, we are all part of the one great multicultural society that is our world. So, your work here, together, can help all humanity thrive.”
As Article 11 of the Federal Constitution clearly states, every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and the right to manage its own religious affairs, to establish and maintain institutions for religious or charitable purposes, and to acquire and own property and hold and administer it in accordance with law and this provision gives absolute protection to all Orang Asli’s who wish to practise and profess their faiths and beliefs in our Malaysia Baru.