‘Disappointed’ open-letter signatory withdraws from group of 25 eminent Malays

Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Din has withdrawn from the group of 25 eminent Malays who drafted the open letter asking for a rational dialogue on the position of Islam in a constitutional democracy, saying that the group has strayed from its objectives.

His son-in-law Azmi Arshad posted on Facebook that the former Home Affairs ministry secretary-general was concerned that things seemed to be "spinning out of control", and that he only agreed to give support for a letter to be sent to the prime minister requesting the appointment of a panel of experts to resolve any conflict between enacted Islamic laws and civil law, and the Federal Constitution in a closed forum and not to do it publicly.

The handwritten draft to the group specified that "the one and only task is to urge the PM with the support of the silent majority to convene a gathering of experts to resolve the contentious issues” and that there were not to be any further involvement after the request regardless if Najib agreed or not.

"Now that our letter has been sent to PM, I consider that I have accomplished my mission in rendering my support to the G25.

“I do not wish to be involved in the Group debating the issues outside the ambit of the panel of experts to be formed by PM, if ever it is formed. Mere debate will lead us to nowhere.

“However, you are at liberty to continue interacting with any party you deem fit.

"I wish therefore to have my name deleted and withdraw myself from the Group and its deliberations. I sincerely wish you all well in your endeavour," he was quoted as saying in a posting on Azmi's Facebook page yesterday.

Abdul Rahim had allowed Azmi to inform the public of his withdrawal from the group via the social networking site as he does not have any social media accounts.

Azmi said he had met with Abdul Rahim who was "stunned and disappointed" when he saw the published version of the open letter, especially the part which states "the need to ensure the right of citizens to debate the ways Islam is used as a source of public law and policy in this country”.

"He was not happy at all. Either he missed that in the letter – after all he is a 75-year-old pensioner with poor eyesight – or the writer amended it later.

"He said if there was a debate then it would never end and I replied that is precisely what the liberals want: a non-stop debate until Islamic laws become ineffective. He repeated a few times that there must not be any debate," Azmi wrote on his Facebook.

Abdul Rahim stressed that questioning any particular Islamic law was not the purpose, in fact, Azmi revealed, the former top civil servant had questioned and cautioned the group that they were not qualified or proficient to engage in any technical discussion.

"He said it was for the panel of experts to consider and resolve whatever relevant issues. That is, it was not for the group to suggest to the panel what specific laws should be reviewed," Azmi wrote.

Abdul Rahim was not pleased when he found out from Azmi that many non Muslims and "liberal extremists" like Sisters in Islam (SIS) had "capitalised on and flogged" the open letter for their own agenda.

Abdul Rahim was also unhappy with about five members of the group whom he described as getting overzealous and "happy" or cocky after the publication of the letter in the media, which has received positive feedback from Malaysians.

He was also "particularly annoyed" that a couple of the group members had allegedly wanted to issue another open letter.

"He has since stopped communicating with them in their email group (although he still reads their emails). Many other members of the group have also been silent in their group email correspondence," claimed Azmi.

The open letter which was published on December 8 decried the "lack of clarity and understanding" on the place of Islam within Malaysia's constitutional democracy, as well as a "serious breakdown of
federal-state division of powers, both in the areas of civil and criminal jurisdictions".

It also expressed concern at how religious authorities were "asserting authority beyond their jurisdiction", and that fatwa issued had violated the Federal Constitution as well as the consultative process.

Besides Abdul Rahim, other signatories of the 19-paragraph letter comprised former high-ranking civil servants including directors-general, secretaries-general, ambassadors and prominent individuals, all of whom are Malays.

Race and religious relations have frayed further after the 13th general election last year when the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition blamed its heavier losses on the Chinese minority, fuelled by Malay-Muslim groups that seek more puritanical Islamic laws across Malaysia. – December 17, 2014.