The intention of Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to form his own government to rule Selangor with PAS and Umno will not merely lead to the implementation of hudud that PAS has been talking about.

It will also encourage more religious extremists and racial bigots to come forward, especially those PAS and Umno leaders who are known to be religious extremists and racial bigots, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) chairperson James Masing has said.

“Following the sacking of PKR and DAP members of the Selangor State Executive Council, and Khalid’s intention to form his government with elected representatives from PAS and Umno, we are worried about extremists in both parties getting together.

“That is a cause for concern to me and to many others,” Masing ( left ) said when asked to comment on the possibility of PAS and Umno forming the Selangor government.

“We are worried that they will agree to implement hudud, and if this happens, then the ‘Malaysia Way Forward’ may not be able to be what a multiracial and multi-religious country wants.

'Bible confiscation an example'

“The confiscation of the copies of the Bible in Selangor by Jais, which until today have not been returned, is an example of what can happen,” said Masing, who is Sarawak minister for land development.

Expressing similar fears, Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian said that like many others, he too was also worried.

“Whether Umno agrees to the PAS plan to implement hudud, in principle or in reality, is not crystal clear yet.

“If Umno agrees, then the non-Muslim MPs from Sabah and Sarawak should rise to the occasion,” said Baru, who is Ba’Kelalan assemblyperson.

“They should think of leaving the Barisan Nasional,” he added, pointing out that it is the responsibility of all to oppose any PAS-Umno merger to rule Selangor, in particular the elected representatives in Selangor and in Malaysia.

“The stand by the Members of Parliament is very crucial,” said Baru ( right ), who is a devout Christian.

Meanwhile, a council member of Gerempong Besai Kristian Jaku Iban Malaysia (Malaysian Iban Language Christian Fellowship), Patrick Sibat, said that it was possible for hudud to be introduced by PAS and Umno.

‘”We are worried that the implementation of hudud in the country will enhance the ‘Islamisation agenda’ of certain groups in Sarawak that have the full support of  the government machinery and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

“While we cannot stop it, we on our part must do our job, such as preaching Christianity and spreading the gospel to every part of Sarawak.

“Our agenda is: ‘Gospel for every person, Church for ethnic communities’ …that is the gist of our mission.

'We must protect religious freedom'

“We must protect the sanctity of our religious freedom as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement and in the Federal Constitution.

“That is why we throw our full support on the stand made by Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem on religious freedom. We want to make sure that religious freedom is safeguarded at all costs,” said Patrick.

Several Sarawakians interviewed have also expressed grave concern on the possibility of hudud being implemented as PAS and Umno have already discussed the issue and are said to have studied its possible implementation.

“This is what frightens us,” said a retired senior police officer, John Suhara, adding: “Sarawakians are frightened of the spillover from the peninsula.

“Like the word ‘Allah’, the usage of which by non-Muslims is banned in Peninsular Malaysia. This has also affected Christians in Sarawak and Sabah.

“This is a very serious concern among us Christians in the state,” John said, pointing out that the word ‘Allah’ has been in use starting from the the regime of the White Rajah of Sarawak, James Brooke, when Christianity arrived in the state.

The majority of the Dayak people in Sarawak are Roman Catholics and Anglicans.