THE suggestion that Muslims and non-Muslims not pray together by the Federal Islamic Affairs Department (Jakim) doesn’t apply in Sarawak, said a state assistant minister.

Praying together is part and parcel of the state’s policy of religious tolerance, said Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office in charge of Islamic affairs Abdul Rahman Junaidi.

“In Sarawak, this is a non-issue,” he said in response to the ruling that discourages Muslims from praying with members of other faiths.

Jakim said the decision is based on two meetings with state religious authorities and fatwa councils.

Rahman said the reciting of doa at state government functions will continue even in the presence non-Muslims.

The Pantai Damai assemblyman said prayers, after all, seek universal wellbeing.

“We in Sarawak have always given priority to maintaining harmony and unity between races and religions in our multiracial society.”

Rahman’s colleague in the Chief Minister’s Office, Abdullah Saidol, said barring Muslims from joint prayers with non-Muslims, even at unity events, has no place in Sarawak.

Abdullah, in charge of corporate affairs and the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (UKAS), said the state cannot afford to have such a divisive ruling.

“In all our official government functions, we have the prayers and people of other faiths are even encouraged to say their prayers in their own quiet way.

“The ustaz who offers the prayers, I have never heard them saying their prayers are for Muslims only.

“There’s no harm if a Muslim is to pray for your (non-Muslims) wellbeing.”

He said the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) cannot afford to play politics with faith.

“In GPS, our politics is about being inclusive. Sarawak has more ethnic races than any other states in the country.

“This is our distinctive feature. Inclusivity not exclusivity. There is no place in Sarawak for this kind of thing,” he said.

“We don’t want to go into the political culture currently happening in the peninsula and embraced by the political parties there.”

In a statement yesterday, Jakim said the state fatwa councils (MKI 74) and the 113rd Federal Territories Islamic regulations committee had met at a national conference in 2006.

“Jakim gives its opinion with reference to the MKI 74 decision and the 113rd Federal Territories meeting, which do not recommend that Muslims take part in joint prayer sessions with those of other faiths,” the department said in a statement in response to the report today on The Malaysian Insight. – September 6, 2019.