By Debra Chong (The Malaysian Insider)
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) politicians today called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to take responsibility and publicly apologise for his aides’ gaffe at the Catholic archbishop’s Christmas tea party here last Saturday.
The Malaysian Insider had yesterday reported that Najib’s men had instructed church officials to remove crucifixes and other overt Christian symbols from being displayed at the party grounds in Bukit Nanas before the PM’s visit in their zeal to protect his Islamic credentials.
Hymns and prayers were also barred.
Sources disclosed that the orders were issued without the PM’s knowledge.
Leaders from the DAP, PAS and PKR urged Najib to act promptly and make clear his stand on the instructions, saying that further delay could harm Malaysia’s still fragile interfaith ties.
PAS lawmaker Khalid Samad described the actions taken by Najib’s aides as a “blatant act of religious intolerance” that reflected the prevailing attitude of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
“Christians have the right to celebrate their religious festivals as they see fit. I don’t see why Najib’s men had to go and give orders to remove this or that,” he told The Malaysian Insider today.
“It would be just like going to Batu Caves and telling the Hindus to remove the statues there,” he added.
“That’s the problem with Umno-BN all this while. They do all these unnecessary things that are completely unacceptable,” said the Shah Alam MP who has been derisively called “Khalid Gereja” by political rivals for his sympathy towards non-Muslims.
He explained that right-thinking Muslims understood that they were not celebrating the festival but showing respect and solidarity to followers of other creeds at such festivals.
“You’re not celebrating that festival because you don’t believe in that religion.
“You’re there to show not animosity but respect and solidarity and acknowledge they have the right to practise their religion,” he stressed.
Khalid noted that Najib could have easily avoided the ruckus if he had given clear directives to his staff on his personal policy regarding visits for religious occasions.
“If he felt that he was going to feel uncomfortable with all the crosses there, then he shouldn’t have gone.
“Otherwise, if he understands that as a Muslim his faith won’t be compromised... he should have told his men,” the 53-year-old said.
“The logical way to treat the situation now is for him to apologise on behalf of his aides and put the matter right,” said Khalid.
More from The Malaysian Insider
-Pejabat YB Khalid Samad-
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) politicians today called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to take responsibility and publicly apologise for his aides’ gaffe at the Catholic archbishop’s Christmas tea party here last Saturday.
The Malaysian Insider had yesterday reported that Najib’s men had instructed church officials to remove crucifixes and other overt Christian symbols from being displayed at the party grounds in Bukit Nanas before the PM’s visit in their zeal to protect his Islamic credentials.
Hymns and prayers were also barred.
Sources disclosed that the orders were issued without the PM’s knowledge.
Leaders from the DAP, PAS and PKR urged Najib to act promptly and make clear his stand on the instructions, saying that further delay could harm Malaysia’s still fragile interfaith ties.
PAS lawmaker Khalid Samad described the actions taken by Najib’s aides as a “blatant act of religious intolerance” that reflected the prevailing attitude of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
“Christians have the right to celebrate their religious festivals as they see fit. I don’t see why Najib’s men had to go and give orders to remove this or that,” he told The Malaysian Insider today.
“It would be just like going to Batu Caves and telling the Hindus to remove the statues there,” he added.
“That’s the problem with Umno-BN all this while. They do all these unnecessary things that are completely unacceptable,” said the Shah Alam MP who has been derisively called “Khalid Gereja” by political rivals for his sympathy towards non-Muslims.
He explained that right-thinking Muslims understood that they were not celebrating the festival but showing respect and solidarity to followers of other creeds at such festivals.
“You’re not celebrating that festival because you don’t believe in that religion.
“You’re there to show not animosity but respect and solidarity and acknowledge they have the right to practise their religion,” he stressed.
Khalid noted that Najib could have easily avoided the ruckus if he had given clear directives to his staff on his personal policy regarding visits for religious occasions.
“If he felt that he was going to feel uncomfortable with all the crosses there, then he shouldn’t have gone.
“Otherwise, if he understands that as a Muslim his faith won’t be compromised... he should have told his men,” the 53-year-old said.
“The logical way to treat the situation now is for him to apologise on behalf of his aides and put the matter right,” said Khalid.
More from The Malaysian Insider
-Pejabat YB Khalid Samad-
Comments
Do not expect Najib to apologise, the people of Malaysia will know who to vote in the next general election.
Terima kasih.
Eric
cuba baca bawah ni:
Persekutuan Kristian Malaysia (CFM) mengesahkan tidak pernah menerima sebarang arahan rasmi daripada Pejabat Perdana Menteri supaya supaya membuang elemen keagamaan daripada satu majlis sambutan Krismas yang dihadiri Datuk Seri Najib Razak pada 25 Disember lalu.
"CFM tidak menerima apa-apa arahan bertulis. Saya tidak mengetahui mengenai apa-apa arahan yang diberikan dariapda Pejabat Perdana Menteri," kata setiausaha eksekutif CFM Tan Kong Beng ketika dihubungi hari ini.
Tan juga berkata, beliau berkara urusan melibatkan Jabatan Perdana Menteri pada kebiasaannya akan dijalankan olehnya.
Ketua biskop Kuala Lumpur Murphy Pakiam yang menganjur majlis berkenaan bagaimanapun tidak dapat dihubungi hari ini.
Sumber di Pejabata Perdana Menteri juga mendakwa tiadak arahan rasmi dikeluarkan berhubung perkara itu.
Sekiranya benar, "arahan" itu mungkin dijalankan oleh pegawai yang menjalankan tugas dengan wewenang, kata sumber itu.
Sumber itu juga berkata, isu berkenaan sekiranya berlarutan akan menimbulkan perselisihan di kalangan masyarakat.
dlm konvesyen PR baru2 ni telah cuba memancing undi utk 100 hari mmrintah sprt berikut:
1.mghapuskan ISA
2.mmulihkn sistem kehakiman negara
3.mstruktur smula pinjaman PTPTN
4.imbuhan kpd 500 kpd guru
5.mnaikan 20% royalti minyak kpd sabah n srawak
6.dan mcm2 lg
dlm janji2 tersebut nmpaknya isu negara islam yg selama ini di pjuangkan oleh PAS langsung tdak di bangkitkan mgkin demi mjaga hati parti kompenan yg lain kot...perlaksanaan islam scara syumul dan kaffah mlalui penerapan kitabullah n sunnah rasullulah sbg undang negara juga langsung tidak dibangkitkan...apa dah jadi dgn hala tuju parti u ni..sejak u jadikan DSAI sbg rujukan habis smua pendirian islam u..jgn gadaikan maruah agama u lid..
kita hndaklah sedar bhw penerapan islam bukanlah suatu 'tawaran' yg boleh kita berikan kpd rakyat ttapi ia adalah sebuah 'kewajipan' yg tdk ada tawar menawar lg..islam wajib diterapkan wpun pihak kafir mmbencinya n mnentang..pmimpin PAS di slgor ni..klau nk mjadi betul2 digelar khalifah wajib mnerapkan islam scara syumul dan kaffah sbaik shj khilafah bjaya di tegakkan..slgor dah dlm tangan.. ttpi dah nak msuk tahun ke tiga masih dok pi mai pimai tang tu jgk...jgn jadi hipokrit lid..BN umno dah la hipokrit..u pun nak ikut style diaorg ke..
renung2 lah sjenak..