AG's inaction on Ibrahim Ali's Bible-burning remark 'sets bad precedent' - MCA

The decision by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) not to prosecute Perkasa President Datuk Ibrahim Ali for his Bible-burning remark sets a dangerous and bad precedent, said Wanita MCA Chairman Datuk Heng Seai Kie.

“Today we have the AGC’s non-action against Ibrahim Ali despite the latter urging to torch Bibles with his excuse to defend the sanctity of Islam.”

“In future, if other religious adherents decide to follow suit to defend the sanctity of their respective religions by calling to set the sacred books of Buddhists, or the Hindu Veda or the Holy Quran ablaze, based on the same context and logic as tabled by the AGC, then our country will definitely descend into religious chaos.”

“Will the AGC then adopt the identical form of favour as practised on Ibrahim Ali? Will there be equal treatment and leniency for others as bestowed on Ibrahim Ali?” she asked in a press statement released today.

Although the Federal Constitution enshrines protection, equality and religious freedom for Malaysians, Heng said it does not give anyone an automatic right or justification to bully, harm or violate the holy scripture of a different faith.

The decision to not prosecute Ibrahim Ali came as a rude shock, she added.

“The decision by the AGC not to prosecute Ibrahim Ali despite the latter’s provocative imploration to burn Bibles on grounds that he was defending the sanctity of Islam and that he had no intention to create religious tension comes as a rude shock and disbelief.”

The AGC on Monday said it cannot persecute the Perkasa president for threatening to burn Bibles as he was only defending the sanctity of Islam and had not meant to incite any racial intolerance.

Ibrahim’s remarks, AGC added, also failed to qualify for action under the Sedition Act 1948 as it lacked a seditious tendency, which is the basic criterion needed for prosecution.

However, Heng said Ibrahim’s action has seriously offended the feelings of more than 2.6 million Christians in Malaysia, causing further racial polarisation and destruction of religious harmony.

“Hence, the AGC’s justification that “he had no intention to create religious tension” is pathetically far-fetched and unconvincing,” adding that such justification encourages more religious intolerance and violence to rise.

“As policy makers, the AGC should hold long-term national interests, with stability and development in mind.”

“Seeing the current worsening spate of religious extremism and inflammatory vitriol, the AGC must first uphold justice and fairness as part of their professional ethics. The AGC must maintain the independence of the country's judiciary, in order to restore the people's confidence with the national judicial system and towards the stability and harmony of the country.”

Heng called for the AGC to reconsider its decision to not persecute Ibrahim Ali.

“If the AGC’s decision is not corrected immediately, this non-action will definitely set a very dangerous and bad precedent for Malaysia. I also fear this scenario will not be conducive for the future development of multiracial harmony in this country.