Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s labelling of humanism, secularism and liberalism as a dangerous threat to Islam has come under fire.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) described the statement as a sad reflection on the PM's understanding of human rights in its recent report, Freedom of Thought 2014.

This is a global report on the rights, legal status and discrimination Against humanists, atheists, and the non-religious.

The premier reportedly made the remark during the Quran Recital's Assembly in May this year.

 

He was quoted to have said “They call it human rightism, where the core beliefs are based on humanism and secularism as well as liberalism.

"It’s deviationist in that it glorifies the desires of man alone and rejects any value system that encompasses religious norms and etiquette. They do this on the premise of championing human rights.”

 

However, IHEU's president, Sonja Eggerickx, said the statement was a sad reflection on Najib’s ( right ) personal understanding of human rights, in particular his total failure to grasp the scope and necessity of freedom of thought, religion and belief.

 

“On one hand he asserts that under Maqasid Shariah he will uphold the welfare of every citizen regardless of religion, and yet in fact he denies the very essence of Article 18 which says every citizen must have freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of religion.

 

“To rule out what he calls “apostasy” as Najib does, is to completely deny this long-established human right. It is not a matter of interpretation; he simply denies this basic human right to which his country is a signatory.

“These freedoms [of thought and expression] are not an alien agenda, they are a minimum standard for people to be able to live a fulfilled life and are the only way to achieve the progressive country which Najib says he wants to develop,” Eggerickx said.

 

The report also criticised the government's handling of the Allah issue, involving The Herald catholic weekly, and also its treatment of blasphemy.

 

The international report was also picked up by the United Kingdom's daily The Independent which noted criticism on Najib on this issue.

‘Grave violations’

 

However Najib had clarified on what he meant and said Malaysia is committed towards human rights values and principles even though the country is comprised of various races and religious backgrounds.

The IHEU's Freedom of Thought report also listed Malaysia as one of the countries with “grave violations”.

It based its evaluation on factors like freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, establishment of religion, education, family, community, religious courts and tribunals and expression, advocacy for humanist values.

 

IHEU noted that Malaysia has a narrow view of human rights, having signed only two of the eight legally enforceable human rights treaties derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Even then the state had asserted constitutional exemptions to these treaties.

 

It also noted states like Kelantan and Terengganu have laws which makes apostasy against Islam a capital offence.

 

The report further noted while Malaysia has constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression, in reality it is restricted in practice.

 

Such existing laws like the Printing Presses and Publications Act, and the Peaceful Assembly Act while recognising such freedoms, are seen to restrict such rights.

Publications have to gain approval from the Home Ministry, while street protests are prohibited and with ‘excessive’ fines levied for non-compliance with this rule.