MP: Oppose bad laws as they'll affect you
Hafiz YatimPublished: Sep 26, 2014 10:54 AM | Updated: Sep 26, 2014 2:56 PM
PAS leader Mujahid Yusof Rawa has urged the younger generation of Malaysians to not keep quiet but opppose bad laws.
PAS leader Mujahid Yusof Rawa has urged the younger generation of Malaysians to not keep quiet but oppose bad laws, as the laws could affect them.
"When something is bad, something must be done about it. You must consider that one day you can also be a victim. You should think of others and also be pro-active," he said at a law conference today.
The PAS central committee member said that "contemporary laws" need to meet society's needs.
He said that it is not only the role of parliamentarian to push for law reform.
"The role has to be played by citizens," the Parit Buntar MP said.
Mujahid, who is part of the National Unity Consultative Council (left), also drew from the experience of public consultation in drafting the NUCC's proposal of the National Harmony Bill.
This, he said, is believed to be the first time such an exercise was done prior to the drafting legislation and hopes that this could be used as a model for new laws.
Law professor Shad Saleem Faruqi, however, cautions against blanket labelling of certain laws as "bad", without considering other stakeholders.
Shad said that doing away with the Sedition Act and replace it with a National Harmony Act could see the law then attacked by those who feel it undermines the position of Islam, Malay rules or the special position of Malays.
'The truth is a mansion'
"All issues have to be questioned and there is no right answer. What lawyers and citizens can do is that there should be more tolerance.
"Accept that truth is a mansion with many rooms and there are many versions of the truth," said the Universiti Teknologi Mara professor.
"Accept and develop humility and objectivity and put ourselves through others. See their pain and perhaps we could be more tolerant and humility to the other persons view that they may have."
Earlier, Mujahid also spoke at length over the need to respect other races and religions, saying that it is a “misconception” that Islam sees itself as superior to other faiths. This, he said, is a divisive message.
The MP, who heads the unity bureau in PAS also promoted the use of dialogue as a means of conflict resolution, citing how he has learnt from exchanges with Christian groups over the ‘Allah’ controversy.
Similarly, he said, there should be a united front among all Malaysians to fight extremism in any race or religion.
"If there is a Malay, Chinese, Hindu or other extremists we fight them all regardless of which race or religion we are.
"There should be moderate views as this is the voice of the majority. Let the moderate views be heard," he said.
"We have to send the message that no Malaysian can tolerate this as it would destroy the nation and put all the hard work built by our forefathers to be in shambles.
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"When something is bad, something must be done about it. You must consider that one day you can also be a victim. You should think of others and also be pro-active," he said at a law conference today.
The PAS central committee member said that "contemporary laws" need to meet society's needs.
He said that it is not only the role of parliamentarian to push for law reform.
"The role has to be played by citizens," the Parit Buntar MP said.Mujahid, who is part of the National Unity Consultative Council (left), also drew from the experience of public consultation in drafting the NUCC's proposal of the National Harmony Bill.
This, he said, is believed to be the first time such an exercise was done prior to the drafting legislation and hopes that this could be used as a model for new laws.
Law professor Shad Saleem Faruqi, however, cautions against blanket labelling of certain laws as "bad", without considering other stakeholders.
Shad said that doing away with the Sedition Act and replace it with a National Harmony Act could see the law then attacked by those who feel it undermines the position of Islam, Malay rules or the special position of Malays.
'The truth is a mansion'
"All issues have to be questioned and there is no right answer. What lawyers and citizens can do is that there should be more tolerance.
"Accept that truth is a mansion with many rooms and there are many versions of the truth," said the Universiti Teknologi Mara professor."Accept and develop humility and objectivity and put ourselves through others. See their pain and perhaps we could be more tolerant and humility to the other persons view that they may have."
Earlier, Mujahid also spoke at length over the need to respect other races and religions, saying that it is a “misconception” that Islam sees itself as superior to other faiths. This, he said, is a divisive message.
The MP, who heads the unity bureau in PAS also promoted the use of dialogue as a means of conflict resolution, citing how he has learnt from exchanges with Christian groups over the ‘Allah’ controversy.
Similarly, he said, there should be a united front among all Malaysians to fight extremism in any race or religion.
"If there is a Malay, Chinese, Hindu or other extremists we fight them all regardless of which race or religion we are.
"There should be moderate views as this is the voice of the majority. Let the moderate views be heard," he said.
"We have to send the message that no Malaysian can tolerate this as it would destroy the nation and put all the hard work built by our forefathers to be in shambles.
Related stories
'Paul Low transformed from Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde'
Anwar ready to face sedition charges
Paul Low supports limiting freedoms
Activist Ali 'prisoner of conscience', says Amnesty
But don’t expect police chief to arrest Dr M
Brave words from lawyer Tommy Thomas
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