Probe into Islamic talks for non-Muslim Bumi students

LocalPolitics
14 Jan 2025 • 9:20 AM MYT
Daily Express
Daily Express

Daily Express Online (Malaysia) is Sabah's top-ranked & most viewed English news site. It is also Sabah's leading & most circulated daily English newspaper.

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By: Sherell Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: The Ministry of Higher Education is investigating reports that non-Muslim Bumiputera students from Sabah and Sarawak were allegedly required to attend an Islamic spiritual seminar at a mosque in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, told Daily Express that he is awaiting a report from UiTM on the matter before providing an official response.

AdvertisementThe issue came to light following social media posts, including concerns raised by lawyer-activist Siti Kasim in a YouTube video on Monday where she said that non-Muslim students cannot be compelled to attend religious talks.

She voiced her concern about Malaysia’s higher education system, particularly the requirement for non-Muslim students to take Islamic-related subjects in local universities regardless of their field of study, citing examples such as petroleum engineering students being required to pass Islamic subjects to obtain their degrees.