Islamist hardliners plan to expand sharia law in Malaysia

Hardline Islamist lawmakers in Malaysia are preparing to introduce a bill that would impose elements of sharia law on the entire country, alarming religious freedom advocates already worried over the recent abduction of a Christian pastor.

Tens of thousands of people rallied in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 18 in support of adopting an Islamic penal code or “hudud,” Reuters reported.

Hudud draws from the Quran to determine punishments, including flogging and amputation, for moral crimes like theft, illicit sex, alcohol consumption, and apostasy, according to Open Doors. Malaysia’s federal government long considered hudud unconstitutional, according to a U.S. State Department religious freedom report.

In spite of that, the hardline Islamist Parti Islam-de Malaysia (PAS) is expected to reintroduce hudud legislation to parliament in March—with Prime Minister Najib Razak’s support.

Ethnic and religious minorities are so concerned about the legislation that the presidents of three political parties threatened to quit their cabinet posts if it passes.

The country’s official religion is Sunni Islam, but “other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony,” according to the constitution. But non-Muslims face many restrictions, including the prohibition on proselytizing Muslims. In 2014, a court upheld a ban on Christians using “Allah,” the Malay language term for God, in publications.

Malaysia’s population is about 61 percent Muslim, with significant Buddhist, Christian, and Hindu minorities and several other very small minority groups. Ethnic Malays are legally Muslim from birth and do not have the right to choose another religion.

“The so-called ‘empowerment’ of the Shariah Court will only exacerbate the unequal treatment of Muslims and non-Muslims before the law,” secular activist group Bebas told Reuters.

Christians already are treated like second-class citizens in Malaysia, said Open Doors USA CEO David Curry, who warned stronger sharia law would only worsen the situation: “Any implementation of sharia law is incongruous with religious liberty because too many elements are imposed by force upon minority faiths or on Muslims who want the freedom of conscience to change their religion.”

Malaysia already operates a dual court system: Civil courts cover the entire country and sharia courts preside over Muslim matters of family law and religious observance. Sharia court jurisdiction includes Muslims who wish to leave Islam. Non-Muslims have no standing in sharia courts but can be affected by their decisions, especially in custody and conversion cases, according to the U.S. State Department.

While minorities protest the sharia law legislation, recent abductions of Christians sparked more fear among non-Muslims.

A group of masked men abducted Pastor Raymond Koh in Petaling Jaya city on Feb. 13, according to the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM). Curry said he thinks Islamic extremists may be responsible. Release International reported an unnamed Christian pastor and his wife also disappeared a month earlier, prompting Christians to suspect their church work motivated the abductions.

“The work of people of faith in such communities must be free from threats of violence and intimidation,” said CFM chairman Eu Hong Seng. “As such we pray for the success of law enforcement and investigating officers in locating Koh and bringing him to safety.”

Koh’s abductors made no ransom demands. The pastor’s family initially offered a $2,000 reward for information but later increased it ten-fold, according to The Star Online. Police created a special task force to find him, The Malay Mail reported.

So far, he remains missing.