Orang Asli demand removal of ‘Islam’ from MyKad

Diyana Ibrahim Diyana Ibrahim Updated 6 years ago · Published on 22 Jul 2019 7:00AM · 11 Comments

Jamal Endi (left) and Anjang Aleuj showing how their MyKad have been processed with alterations to make them Muslim, which they believe was a deliberate action by the NRD. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, July 22, 2019.

THE Temiar Orang Asli in Gerik, Perak, have had “Islam” added to their identity cards without their consent and want the government to remove the religious status from their MyKad.

Anjang Aleuj from Kg Sg Papan said the villagers have never converted nor recited the shahada or Muslim creed, yet they were issued identity cards which stated that they were Muslims.

“We have never recited, there has never been an ustaz to witness a conversion to Islam,” Anjang told The Malaysian Insight on a recent visit to the village.

“All of a sudden, we find that we were registered as Muslims on our identity cards.”

Anjang also said the manner in which the National Registration Department (NRD) decided who was Muslim was confusing and not uniform.

For instance, he said, there were Orang Asli tribesmen whose identity cards did not state any religion – as is the case for non-Muslims – yet, “bin” for men and “binti” for women had been added to their names. These denote their status as Muslims.

In other cases, the NRD also failed to register their names accurately.

“They (the NRD) chose the names themselves. They do it as if we don’t have rights to our own identity,” said Anjang.

“They have violated our rights as humans. They want to play God and determine our identities,” he added.

In Kg Sg Papan, which has 86 residents, every resident complained of similar problems with their MyKad.

The Sg Papan residents were assisted by the state Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) to obtain their identity cards.

Jamal Endi, another Temiar tribesman from Kg Ong Gelmol, said he is in a similar situation.

His identity card has “bin” inserted into his name, even though he is not a Muslim.

Jamal Endi’s MyKad shows ‘bin’, which he says was an arbitrary decision by the NRD. – The Malaysian Insight pic, July 22, 2019.

Ordinarily, non-Muslim Orang Asli MyKads would use “anak” (son of) in their names instead of “bin”.

He said his wife was also wrongly registered as a Muslim but since he was not, his child had been given the surname “Abdullah” instead of Jamal.

“Hence my child was registered by the NRD as the child of Abdullah instead of Jamal,” he said.

He said he asked NRD officials but was told that this was because his wife’s status was Muslim.

“I don’t understand why my child became anak Abdullah instead of anak Jamal. My child’s father will be known as Abdullah, instead of Jamal,” he said.

Anjang added that even though the community is not against Islam, they felt that it was unfair to be forced to embrace the faith, especially if they had no intention of doing so.

“We do not say that Islam is wrong. Islam is the truth and the Orang Asli have a high reverence for the religion.

“However, conversion should be made with consent and not against our will. We should have the desire to embrace the faith ourselves. Others should not determine that,” he said.

Kg Sg Papan and Kg Ong Jelmol are among the five Orang Asli communities from Gerik that staged a protest in Parliament last Tuesday and handed over a memorandum to the prime minister.

Among the problems they highlighted was the “forced conversions” of their tribes to Islam.

Perak Jakoa director Khairul Nizam said a report on the Orang Asli’s claims of forced conversions have been submitted to the state department for further action.

Khairul told The Malaysian Insight that further engagement is needed because the issue involved other government agencies.

“On this issue of religion, we have to have a sit-down meeting to discuss the matter and report it to Jakoa headquarters.

“As it involves religion, it is sensitive and warrants further discussion. It is not limited to Jakoa alone, but involves other stakeholders.” – July 22, 2019.

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Comments

  • Stupid JAKOA,which part of WE are not Muslims that you don't understand? The Orang Asli themselves know who they are and who they are not.

    Posted 6 years ago by KS S · Reply

  • What is there to discuss? If the deed is indeed done, just ask the people concerned and issue them new cards and delete records of them as Muslims

    Posted 6 years ago by J R · Reply

  • Among the reasons this is happening: https://www.newmandala.org/ways-of-seeing-malaysia-deconstructing-demographic-violence/

    Posted 6 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply

  • More reasons this is happening: https://www.newmandala.org/ways-seeing-malaysia-deconstructing-oderate-muslim-nation/

    Posted 6 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply

  • Simply outrageous. NRD should rectify this immediately and stop turning people into who they politically want them to be.

    Posted 6 years ago by Sunita petrus · Reply

  • Some people are just sinister enough to manipulate others and has totally no regards of shame and human ethics. What religion are they following?

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • The religion of money and power. It probably has more followers than any other religion in the world, don't you think?

      Posted 6 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply

  • NRD has done TOTAL INJUSTICE to Temiar Clan . They are part of CREATION. CREATOR CREATES VARIETY. HE Is Not Stupid or Cruel like Muslims to UNDERMINE HUMAN ORIGIN. GOD LOVES VARIETY NOT ONE SINGLE RACE. NRD has Acted Above LAWS Esp above LAW OF NATURE. Who are u to Convert Temiar to a Faith that they Dont Belong To from ORIGIN.

    Posted 6 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • The name Angang reminded me of a Orang Asli (OA) student from the OA settlement near Sg. Pelek in 1963. She spoke good English (obviously from British days) but she could not continue in secondary school because there was none those days in Sg. Pelek. Her father was the OA religion chief in the village. In June, 2019, on a visit to Royal Belum with my Qigong group, I visited the OA settlement there. Many of us shed tears looking at the well disciplined OA children lined up to receive whatever goodies we brought for them. They were more excited receiving simple story books and stationery. The OA factor in any development plan is important PH please include the OA in your any development plans.

    Posted 6 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

  • What is there to discuss? just put a brake on all these nonsense. Some righteous radical Muslims in the NRD are dong this so just put a stop to this and whoever gave instructions should be sacked. Dont dilly dally..we know its only an excuse.

    Posted 6 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • Who is doing all the mischief if not some government officials who are trying to get to heaven and claim the 72 virgins waiting there for them? In Islam, is it not a sin to do a thing like this behind the back of innocent people? When did the Prophet order his followers to convert people? Did He not respect the beliefs of others when He said: "to you yours and to me mine"? If the state is not giving its tacit approval, how could this be happening? It amounts to bullying by the state. REPLACE THEIR I.C.'S AND REMOVE "ISLAM" FROM THEM.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply