Pas Youth defends campus Islamic outreach, citing constitutional protections

SHAH ALAM -The Dakwah and Islamic Defence Committee of the Pas Youth Wing Malaysia has strongly defended the right to conduct Islamic outreach activities on university campuses, following remarks by Senator Dr Lingeshwaran R. Arunasalam questioning such initiatives.

Committee chairman Mohamed Sukri Omar said the criticism reflected a misunderstanding of Malaysia’s constitutional framework and the position of Islam in the country. He stressed that Islamic outreach efforts, including dakwah (missionary) programmes and new convert (mualaf) registration initiatives at higher learning institutions, are lawful and protected under the Federal Constitution.

“Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution clearly stipulates that Islam is the religion of the Federation," Sukri said in a statement on 18 June. "At the same time, Article 11(1) guarantees freedom of religion, while Article 11(4) empowers the states to control or restrict the propagation of other religions among Muslims.”

These provisions, he said, demonstrate that the Constitution recognises the special position of Islam while allowing its development and propagation to be carried out in a lawful, responsible manner. He added that as long as such activities are conducted voluntarily, ethically and without coercion, no objections should be raised.

“Institutions of higher learning are not exclusion zones for Islamic outreach,” Sukri said, adding that universities should instead serve as spaces for intellectual engagement and the appreciation of values rooted in the Constitution and the principles of the Rukun Negara (National Principles).

He also rejected calls for a rigid interpretation of neutrality in public institutions, arguing that such a view risks disregarding Malaysia’s constitutional identity.

“Neutrality does not mean erasing the position of Islam, which was agreed upon by the nation’s founding fathers and expressly enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” he said.

Sukri further alleged that the senator’s remarks reflected a broader ideological approach often associated with the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which he claimed seeks to challenge the established constitutional framework. He cautioned that such perspectives could undermine long-standing foundations of national harmony, including the roles of Islam, the Malay Rulers and the Malay language.

“Malaysia was built upon the principle of mutual respect. Muslims have always respected the rights of followers of other faiths to practise their beliefs," Sukri said. "In the same spirit, the right of Muslims to engage in dakwah peacefully and responsibly must also be respected.”

He called on all parties to avoid politicising the issue and to uphold the spirit of the Constitution, warning that attempts to question the position of Islam could have wider implications for national stability.

The statement comes amid an ongoing debate over the role of religion in public institutions and the balance between religious freedom and constitutional provisions in Malaysia’s plural society.