I’m referring to Boo Su-Lyn’s article, which to me is bordering on sedition.
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/boo-su-lyn/article/as-a-taxpayer-i-dont-want-to-fund-religious-bodies
Why is this kind of people allowed to write in such a damaging way to Malaysians?
First, Malaysia has Islam as the religion of federation.
Secondly, Muslims are the majority.
Thirdly, Boo Soo Lynn is trying to deceive the Malaysian public when she said:
“If people think that all Malaysian taxpayers, regardless of their faith, should pay for the maintenance of the Shariah legal system because Islam is the “religion of the federation” according to Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution, I would like to highlight Article 11(2) that specifically states: “No person shall be compelled to pay any tax the proceeds of which are specially allocated in whole or in part for the purposes of a religion other than his own”.
Now what she didn’t tell us is that Article 11(2) has to be read together with Article 12(2).
Article 12 (2) says:
Every religious group has the right to establish and maintain institutions for the education of children in its own religion, and there shall be no discrimination on the ground only of religion in any law relating to such institutions or in the administration of any such law;
but it shall be lawful for the Federation or a State to establish or maintain or assist in establishing or maintaining Islamic institutions or provide or assist in providing instruction in the religion of Islam and incur such expenditure as may be necessary for the purpose
In summary:
1. Paying tax is incumbent to every citizens and residents who derive income and profits in Malaysia.
2. In paying such tax government does not compartmentalize its percentage of expenditure during the collection .
3. If one is given the opportunity to pick and choose freely to whom ones taxes to be paid and spent, the Goverment will be in state of financial anarchy!
4. The Federal Constitution gives special position to Islamic institutions under Article 12 to spent from Taxpayers as of ” Rights” and not “Privileged”
(I thank PPMM, I-PEGUAM and CLJ who have helped me understood the provisions of law regarding this issue)
Associate Professor Dr Rafidah Hanim Mokhtar
International Women’s Alliance for Family Institution and Quality Education (WAFIQ)
