Kuala lumpur: Every ministry plays an important role in addressing issues involving religion, race, and the royal institution (3R) to ensure national harmony and unity are preserved, said National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang. He emphasized a comprehensive approach involving several ministries and enforcement agencies, including the Home Ministry, Communications Ministry, National Unity Ministry, and Housing and Local Government Ministry.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Aaron elaborated that each ministry contributes through reformative approaches such as intervention, mediation, and awareness initiatives to address sensitive issues related to religion, race, and hate speech. He highlighted that, in terms of enforcement, the police under the Home Ministry could take action under several provisions of the Penal Code, including Sections 295, 296, 298, and 298A, which cover offences such as insulting religion, disrupting religious ceremonies, and statements that could incite hostility.
Furthermore, action can be taken under Sections 504, 505, and 506 of the Penal Code, which address intentional insults provoking breaches of peace, statements causing public mischief, and criminal intimidation. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, under the Communications Ministry, has the authority to investigate under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for dissemination of false, threatening, or extremely offensive content that may cause distress or annoyance to others.
Aaron noted that the ministry has established a Fake News and 3R Task Force to monitor and address the spread of false information, including content touching on sensitivities related to religion, race, and the royal institution. The National Unity Ministry monitors hate speech through the eSepakat System and the National Public Community Complaints Network System and has established the Unity Issues Management Committee, comprising 12 ministries and agencies, to coordinate action on issues affecting national unity.
Additionally, the ministry has developed the Unity Analytics Dashboard to identify locations at high risk of racial or religious tension and provides mediation services through community mediators to help resolve conflicts at the grassroots level. For matters involving non-Muslim houses of worship, the Housing and Local Government Ministry ensures that construction complies with the law, including the Local Government Act 1976, the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, and the Town and Country Planning Act 1976.
Aaron concluded by stating that the integrated approach is crucial to addressing 3R issues prudently, ensuring that harmony in the country's multiracial society is not affected.