Tiada undang-undang benarkan Kabinet bahagi ikut kaum dan agama, Hadi diberitahu

The President of PAS, Hadi Awang, has been told by the DAP Party's Legal Bureau Chairperson, Ramkarpal Singh, that his statement about not limiting the cabinet to Muslims is unacceptable. This is because it undermines the shared governance model practiced in Malaysia. Ramkarpal Singh emphasized that Hadi's statement contradicts the Constitution and the principles of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, which forms the foundation of Malaysian society.

He agreed with the Malaysian Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Taoist Consultative Council's assessment, which regards Hadi's statement as a deviation from the basic structure of the Federal Constitution. The MP from Bukit Gelugor also cited Hadi's 2018 statement that PAS would establish two cabinets if in power, one for Muslims and another for non-Muslims.

Ramkarpal Singh stated that such a division contradicts Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, which only allows for the formation of one cabinet. He also noted that this suggests previous leaders' intentions were not to divide ministerial positions based on ethnicity and religion. Ramkarpal Singh stressed that all citizens, regardless of ethnicity or religion, have the right to hold ministerial positions, in line with legal principles as outlined in Article 8.

He reiterated that the power to appoint ministers lies with the Prime Minister, but the cabinet in Malaysia is multi-ethnic since the country attained independence. Ramkarpal Singh emphasized that there is no reason to change this arrangement. He condemned Hadi's statement as divisive and said it must be rejected as it undermines the shared governance model practiced in Malaysia.

The DAP Party will always strive to ensure that the principle of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society remains the defining feature of all aspects of Malaysian life, including the composition of the cabinet. Ramkarpal Singh also called on non-Muslim parties in the National Front (PN), particularly Gerakan, to publicly declare their stance on Hadi's statement, as the issue is of public importance and can influence the country's future direction.

He also urged Umno and other parties in the Barisan Nasional (BN), particularly MCA and MIC, to declare whether they agree with Hadi's remarks, indicating whether they are willing to cooperate and discuss with BN and PAS in the near future. Last week, Hadi had stated that non-Muslims could serve as ministers, but their roles should be limited to portfolios responsible for implementing government policies, while Muslims were assigned to draft laws.

During the closing ceremony of PAS's 72nd National Convention in Kota Bharu, Hadi had highlighted the Ministry of Works and Housing as examples of ministerial positions that could be held by non-Muslims.