KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 ― The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) is hopeful that the National Registration Department (NRD) can expedite the issuance of a new MyKad for Roneey Rebit to reflect his return to Christianity before May 7.
Pleased that the government has dropped its appeal against the Dayak Bidayuh, ACS chairman Rev Dr Justin Wan noted the date is fixed for Sarawakians to cast their vote in the state election.
“As we are all Malaysians submitted to our Constitution, surely this is not a political ploy or gimmick especially toward the state election.
“Thus we believe that the NRD will process the application as soon as possible even before 7th of May in tandem to what our chief minister’s previous pledge to protect and uphold the religious freedom in Sarawak,” he told Malay Mail Online last night.
Yesterday, incumbent Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem announced that the prime minister had given his assurance the NRD will withdraw its appeal against Roneey’s successful legal bid to remove the word “Islam” from its records.
Wan expressed his gratitude to the government officials who helped convince the NRD to withdraw its court appeal against Roneey.
Wan also said the announcement showed how concerned and serious the federal government and state government were in looking into the people’s needs, as well as upholding the country’s laws.
He hoped that such a collaborative spirit and understanding would create an atmosphere of peace and harmony in Malaysia.
“Hope Malaysia will be a living example and testimony for Religious Freedom and Tolerance and showing that we are peace-loving and caring people,” he said.
Roneey’s case made national headlines on March 24, when the Kuching High Court recognised his constitutional right as an adult to choose his religion and ordered the NRD to issue him a new Mykad.
Roneey, now 41, was only eight years old when he was converted to Islam after his Christian parents became Muslims.
The Sarawak Islamic Religious Department and the Sarawak Islamic Council, who were named in Roneey’s legal challenge, did not object to issuing a letter formally releasing the Bidayuh man from Islam.
Both Islamic bodies similarly did not appeal the High Court’s decision in Roneey’s favour, with the NRD being the sole respondent to have filed an appeal on April 22.
Sarawak has one of the highest Christian populations in the country, numbering roughly 1.05 million or 42.61 per cent of the total state population, based on the last census in 2010.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/sarawak-churches-want-nrd-to-fix-christian-mans-mykad-before-polling-day#sthash.EcIm05j2.dpuf