THE idea of setting up a cabinet separating Muslims and non-Muslims is a form of religious apartheid that will lead to a country that is “increasingly hostile” towards non-Muslims, said Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy.

He said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s recent revelation that the Islamist party would create a two-tier cabinet – in which Muslim ministers will be tasked with policymaking while their non-Muslim counterparts will be in charge of execution – would “drastically reduce” the importance of non-Muslims in Malaysia.

“They (non-Muslims) will end up in a situation where major decisions affecting their lives, the way they live, the right to religious freedom, and the freedom to have their vernacular system of education, will all be determined by Muslims in an important decision-making apparatus,” he said in a statement today.

“In short, Malaysia under PAS will become increasingly hostile and belligerent towards religions other than Islam. If this system operates, non-Muslims will find it difficult to practise their own religions.”

He said Malaysia was one of the countries that strongly opposed the system of apartheid in South Africa, which was based on white supremacy, adding that PAS’ proposal was another form of apartheid, one that was based on religion.

“This is nothing short of a religious apartheid that will have far-reaching implications for Malaysia as a multiracial and multi-religious nation.”

Ramasamy said Hadi’s proposal went against the principles of Islam, which were fair and based on justice.

“If Hadi’s two-tiered concept of Islam is introduced, Malaysia would be the first country in the Muslim world to have a system that goes against the very principle of Islamic universalism.”

Hadi’s new system was announced over the weekend during a forum with Indian civil society organisations, and was in response to his earlier statements, in which he had called for the government to be led by Malay-Muslims only.

In PAS mouthpiece Harakahdaily, the PAS president had said Muslims would be the policymakers and shape the country’s direction. – February 5, 2018.