Aug 29 2002 – History was made in parliament on Monday with the seating of New Zealand’s first Muslim MP, but he had to bring his own Koran on which to take the oath.
Pakistan-born scientist Ashraf Choudhary, 53, a Labour list MP, placed his hand on the holy book and pledged allegiance to New Zealand’s sovereign leader.
“I, Ashraf Choudhary, swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors according to law so help me God.”
Choudhary donated his Koran to parliamentary officials, who did not have one.
New Zealand MPs with religious beliefs usually take the option of swearing on the Bible.
The make-up of parliament has changed dramatically since New Zealand adopted MMP in 1997.
The latest census shows that New Zealand had 23,631 Muslims in 2001, compared with only 6,096 a decade earlier.
Choudhary, born to a poor farming family in Punjab province before migrating to New Zealand in 1976, said that he would represent all ethnic minorities in the nation’s 3.9 million total population.
“I call myself a grassroots person, working from bottom up among the ethnic minorities in New Zealand,” Choudhary said.
