The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 20 Dec 2011 04:06 PM PST DEC 21 — One wonders what the esteemed Selangor executive councillor in charge of Islamic Affairs wakes up to in the morning? It must be hard going to sleep at night, what with the bogeymen lurking under the bed and the branches of that dark and creepy tree scratching the window. And what about that guy in the closet with the digital Bible? The one who keeps talking about compassion, charity, helping others, and how all religions are equal to each other. And all this talk about love for his fellow men. Why can't he just buzz off? Yeah, it's tough being a champion of the faith. There are just so many things to be afraid of. The teachers in a school, the NGO working with people living with HIV, the food and drinking water being served at an interfaith event, the soup kitchen on the corner of Jalan Chow Kit, the toothpaste, the butter. Brrr…It's a tough life. The self-proclaimed guardians of the faith appear to be unrestrained in their zealousness to be seen to protect the faithful from all threats, real, perceived or imagined. What has become more strident of late has been the increasingly hysterical call to protect their faith from another faith. Let's face it. Within a small segment of the Malay community in Malaysia, there is an ongoing hysterical belief, nay conviction, that there is a systematic campaign by Christians to convert Muslims and conquer the country. The Harapan Komuniti incident at the DUMC last August not only brought this to light but demonstrated in sharp relief how the organs of the state, particularly those which are depended on to protect the rakyat regardless of whatever religion, have also begun to succumb to those who subscribe to this mindset. Hasan Ali is a manifestation of that. I don't know about the existence of the abovementioned campaign but I do know about the one going around the country trying to convince the Malay community to rise up against the phantom menace. It seems in the latter movement, the need for evidence, substance, reason and rationality is optional. You can leave those at home. All you need is a sprinkling of bigotry and racism, a pinch of insinuation mixed with innuendo, and a healthy dosage of absurdity and fear. It has now become acceptable to point to an opposition governed state and say that there is a Christianisation agenda by virtue of there being several non-Muslims serving as senior members of the administration. We heard that from a delegate on the very first day of a political party's recent general assembly. A few years ago, nobody would have even dared to insinuate that in such a gathering much less say so in public with such rancour. The great religions of the world, including Islam, emphasise on inclusivity not exclusivity, yet in Malaysia, it seems that we go out of our way to ensure that we alienate not only those of different faiths but also those of own congregation as well, especially those not of similar mind. I believe that today there is a crisis of faith occurring amongst Muslims in Malaysia, particularly amongst the youth. Many have begun to be disillusioned as a result of increasingly draconian measures aimed to curb perceived excesses yet choosing to remain quiet on practices such as female circumcision, child marriage, corruption and the continued neglect of those in need and want. Discourse on alternative views of religion is neither tolerated nor encouraged. We see religious departments, fatwa councils, muftis and various so-called champions of the faith believing themselves to be the only owners and purveyors of the truth. We see an institution that has become rigid in practice, straightjacketed in its thinking and emphasising form over substance. We see this disgraceful behaviour of accusing others of proselytisation and conversion. Taken together, we see injustices done to the progressiveness, fair, equitable and inclusive beliefs of Islam. Many of us do not see a future in Malaysia because of this. So when is it all going to stop? At what point do we wake up and realise that what is being done by these people on the pretext of safeguarding the morality and faith of Muslims are actually excuses for groups of insecure individuals to exert control and instil irrational fear, bigotry and racial hatred among the masses? That we are on the verge of succumbing to religious fascism? In the aftermath of the Harapan Komuniti incident, there was an opportunity to send a clear message that this sort of behaviour would not be tolerated. Instead, I believe that the ball was dropped and the authority in question was ill advised. As a result, those responsible have now taken it as a green light to embark on this expanding tirade against another religion. Growing up in a multiethnic country with its diversity of religions and cultures, we have been taught to be proud of our ability to work and live together. Yet today, many of us have been exhorted to fear our non-Muslim sisters and brothers and to treat them in a manner which I believe is disgraceful and does dishonour to the founders of our country and Islam. As youth, we have learned the lessons from the past, and I can conclude one thing: we have no use for the bigoted and racist mindset of the elders of today who are stuck in the politics and attitudes of a benighted past All right minded Malaysians must summon the courage to reject Hasan Ali and his ilk wherever they may be, and say to them, that there is no room for religious fascism. By the way, whatever he is drinking in the morning, he should cut it down by half. It's hard to talk with all that foam. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Perak disakat sebagai Darul Kartun Posted: 20 Dec 2011 03:58 PM PST 21 DIS — Nga Koh Meng telah menyakat orang-orang Perak dengan sindirian tajamnya bahawa negeri Darul Ridhuan itu ibarat Darul Kartun dalam ceramah PAS di Kamunting. Ia segera mendapat reaksi melenting dari sekian banyak NGO di negeri itu hingga sekitar 200 demonstran berarak ke kompleks DAP di Ipoh menuntutnya minta maaf kerana memperleceh negeri itu, watan negeri dan Rajanya. Justeru reaksi melenting NGO itu sindiran Darul Kartun menjadi isu yang diketahui ramai. Jika NGO tidak tolong menyebar luaskan ia sebagai satu isu, tiada siapa sedar diberi darul baru iaitu Darul Kartun. Kerana ia sudah jadi isu dibincang umum dan istana cuba diseret mari kita bentuk mahkamah dunia melihat sindirian ini. Mari kita adili kes Nga Koh Meng dan beberapa NGO atas isu Perak Darul Kartun ini. Ia satu sindiran yang menjadi topik yang wajar diteliti oleh semua fakulti sains politik sebagai kajian akadamik yang penting. Berbagai cara boleh universiti adakan untuk melihat apa hujah Nga yang mengatakan Perak adalah Darul Kartun dan apa pula hujah NGO bahawa ia bukan Darul Kartun. Masing-masing mesti diminta mengemukakan hujah patut atau tidak Nga minta maaf? Nga Koh Meng adalah Setiausaha DAP Perak, MP Taiping dan ADUN Pantai Remis. Orang Perak telah disakatnya seperti cerita rakyat Kulup Kecil menyakat Kulup Besar. Mungkin cerita itu datang dari Perak kerana nama Kulup adalah masyhur di negeri itu dulu. Kulup Kecil adalah gembala lembu-kerbau Kulup Besar, seorang penternak yang berjaya. Dia ada seekor lembu saja. Cara dia menyakat Kulup Besar ialah apabila orang bertanya, ternakan siapa yang banyak itu, dia mengaku dia punya. Melentinglah Kulup Besar. Jika Kulup Kecil tidak menghentikan akuannya itu Kulup Besar akan membunuh lembu Kulup Kecil yang seekor itu. Kulup Kecil tidak menghentikan lucunya. Kulup Kecil mendakwa lembunya yang dibunuh diniagakannya hingga ia dapat banyak duit, lalu Kulup Besar bunuh pula semua ternakannya, tapi tak dapat satu sen pun. Kelucuan Kulup Kecil telah menjadikan Kulup Besar sebagai mangsanya. NGO Perak seperti telah masuk perangkap Nga. Kalau mahkamah dunia dapat diadakan, ia boleh minta Nga mengemukakan hujah politik dan hujah akadamiknya. Kemudian NGO mesti tampil dengan hujah betapa Perak bukan Darul Kartun seperti yang didakwa Nga. NGO hanya melenting dan menuduh Nga menghina Perak, watannya dan Rajanya. Apa hujahnya? Sanggupkah NGO mengemukakan hujah? NGO jangan jadi macam Kulup Besar melenting tanpa hujah. Orang Perak jangan memalukan Rajanya. Raja Perak pernah jadi Ketua Hakim Negara. Tidak ada raja di dunia dulu dan sekarang pernah menjadi hakim tertinggi dalam masyarakatnya. Raja Muda Perak pula sering muncul di pentas bertarap dunia menyampaikan syarahan sarat dengan hujah. Kalau NGO Perak hendak mempertahan negeri dan rajanya, ia mesti tampil dengan hujah. Jika tidak, ia akan memalukan rajanya saja. Nga dipercayai menunggu ada mahkamah dunia mahu mendengar kes sindirannya itu. Siapa berani berkata dia tidak ada hujah. Semua pejuang pro demorasi yang bangkit di dunia sekarang hendak mendengar hujah Nga. Dia telah muncul seperti Munsyi Abdullah menyindir politik dan sosial di zamannya. Ketika Munsyi Abdullah berada di Terengganu, dia lihat semua yang berpayung menguncupkan payung apabila lalu di hadapan istana tak kira hujan atau panas terik. Dia tanya mengapa? Jawabnya, undang-undang Terengganu begitu. Munsyi bertanya, mengapa tidak dilarang burung terbang melintas ruang udara istana? Munsyi ada hujah. Masyarakat tidak pernah mengira Munsyi telah menghina Terengganu, Raja dan rakyatnya. Orang Perak jangan jadi macam Raja dan rakyat Singapura dalam peristiwa pulau itu dilanggar todak. Raja Singapura tidak ada apa-apa masalah dengan idea kanak-kanak menyelamatkan masyarakat dari serangan todak. Tetapi pembesar di bawah raja mengira kenak-kanak itu menghina raja dan pembesar mempengaruhi raja membunuhnya. Sindiran politik Nabi Ibrahim a.s. lagi hebat. Setelah baginda menghancur semua berhala, ditanya baginda siapa menghancurkan semua berhala. Jawabnya, tanyalah berhala yang besar, satu-satunya berhala yang tidak dimusnahkan. Raja Namrud dan pembesar tidak terjawab sindiran Nabi Ibrahim. Namrud kemudian berdebat dengan Nabi Ibrahim. Baginda penuh hujah. Namrud melenting saja tanpa hujah lalu dia menghukum supaya remaja Nabi Ibrahim dibakar hidup-hidup. Orang Melayu jangan jadi puak yang melenting dan suka mengamuk. Mengamuk tidak menyelesaikan masalah. Jadilah orang yang ada otak dan ada hujah. Bangkit dengan hujah, bukan mengamuk tanpa hujah. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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