KUCHING: Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian has called on the Unity Government to continue to take a firm stand to ensure that Malaysia does not end up as a ‘Taliban state’.
In a statement in conjunction with the 60th Malaysia Day, he pointed out that the Borneo states joined Malaya to form a secular Malaysia.
“We watch with unease and unhappiness the rise of extremism and intolerance in West Malaysia. There is an increasingly large group of those who wish to replace our secular constitutional democracy with an Islamic state governed by Syariah law, and they weaponise issues of race, religion and royalty in their dangerous and divisive political agenda,” said Baru, who is also Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) secretary-general.
He added that this was exactly the fear of Sarawakian forefathers during the discussion on the formation of Malaysia.
He stressed that this was their uppermost concern which is reflected in the 18-point Agreement, the first point being on religion.
“In their wisdom and out of respect for the diverse ethnic population, our forefathers had insisted on not having an official religion for Sarawak.
“I hope the Unity Government will continue to take a firm stand to ensure that Malaysia does not end up as a ‘Taliban’ state,” he said.
