Keep Islam Out of Native Family Enactment

The recent statement by Sepanggar MP Eric Majimbun on the proposed Native Family Enactment should be taken seriously. In the Daily Express on December 16th he had said that the Native Family Enactment which is to be tabled soon has Islamic elements in it. This is certainly worrying. The Native Family Enactment deals mainly with non-Muslim native affairs as Muslims already have the Syariah Family Law Enactment.

The non-Muslim native assemblymen in the state assembly must object to any enactment on native laws that involve Islamic elements. Please be reminded that native law and customs predate the arrival of Islam in Sabah. And since family cases like divorce and marriage for Muslims are handled by Syariah laws, there is no reason for the Native Family Enactment to contain Islamic influence. Perhaps it is also high time that the Director of the Native Affairs Council (MHEAN) be appointed from among the non-Muslim natives.