Term ‘Kafir Harbi’ Unsuitable in Malaysia, All Citizens Bound by Federal Constitution, Says Minister

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 10 — The term “kafir harbi” is completely unsuitable for use in the Malaysian context as all citizens are subject to the Federal Constitution and share equal responsibilities as fellow compatriots, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

Speaking to reporters today, Zulkifli explained that this key consensus was reached following a high-level roundtable discussion titled “‘Kafir Harbi’ in Malaysia: A Discussion”, organized to address ongoing public discourse surrounding the topic.

“Following discussions, presentations and an exchange of views, we generally concluded that the term ‘kafir harbi’ is inappropriate for Malaysia because all Malaysian citizens are bound by the (Federal) Constitution, and we are all part of one society and fellow citizens sharing the same homeland,” Zulkifli said.

“I feel the term ‘kafir harbi’ is no longer suitable for our country, as we are united and share the responsibility of defending and developing this nation,” he added.

To clear up misconceptions and promote mutual understanding, Zulkifli announced that the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) will collaborate with various government ministries and agencies to step up public awareness and educational campaigns on the issue.

He emphasized that a multi-agency collaborative framework is essential to ensure national integration initiatives are executed holistically, rather than being confined strictly to the religious domain.

“We urge all Malaysians to work together to strengthen unity, foster closer bonds of brotherhood, respect one another, and understand each other’s cultures and religions so that we can build stronger unity for our country, Malaysia,” Zulkifli urged.

–NMT