Nothing in law allows Cabinet to be divided by race and religion, Hadi told

Former deputy law minister Ramkarpal Singh has dismissed PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's proposal for excluding non-Muslims from Cabinet positions that involve policy formulation. Singh argued that Hadi's comments were unconstitutional and contradicted the principles of multiculturalism and racial diversity in Malaysia. He pointed out that such a division would violate Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, which mandates a single Cabinet.

Ramkarpal emphasized that all citizens, irrespective of race or religion, should be eligible for ministerial positions, aligning with the principle of equality before the law under Article 8. He reiterated that the power to appoint ministers lies with the prime minister, and Malaysia has maintained a multiracial Cabinet since gaining independence.

Singh criticized Hadi's remarks as divisive and urged DAP to uphold multiculturalism and multiracialism in the Cabinet's composition. He also called on non-Muslim parties in Perikatan Nasional to publicly express their stance on Hadi's remarks, as the issue is of public interest and may influence the country's future direction.