IT is impossible to amend the law which made Islam the official religion of Sabah as it would violate the constitution, acting PBS president Maximus Ongkili said.

“I know why Pandikar (Amin Mulia) is saying all this. He is trying to say that while it is easy to talk, the hardest part would be implementing it.

“He even said it would not be possible (to abolish the law) when PBS was in power in 1985.

“Provisions in the constitution stated that Islam shall be the religion of the federation. Now, how can we do the same law at the state level?

“(Usno president) Tun Mustapha made the enactment that Islam would be the official religion of Sabah, and by going against it would be suicidal as such an act is not aligned with the federal constitution,” said Ongkili, adding that PBS can only formulate laws consistent with the constitution.

On Tuesday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar said all state opposition parties should amend Article 5A of the state constitution, which states Islam as the official religion of Sabah, if they are truly trying to champion the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

The law, which Pandikar said, PBS failed to abolish or amend when it came to power in 1985, was based on the provision that there is no official state religion when Sabah agreed to form Malaysia.  

Opposition leaders accused Pandikar of playing the religious card, stating that his tactics usually used by politicians from Barisan Nasional parties, especially Umno.

Ongkili said Pandikar already knew the outcome of doing this, as he had been the state assembly speaker when PBS was in power.

“Although, Pandikar has put PBS in a bad light over the matter, what he was trying to tell the opposition leaders is that it would not be easy to reverse the law.” – November 16, 2017.