The damage caused by the religious extremists is not easy to mend and it will put the courage of the government and Najib to test in taking the right decision and action to stop them.
KOTA KINABALU: The only way Prime Minister Najib Razak can redeem himself and prove that he is truly a leader of multiracial Malaysia is if he takes tough action against religious extremists and hate groups who are wrecking havoc to race and religious harmony in the country, said Tamparuli assemblyman Wilfred Bumburing.
He said the recent series of dreadful incidents such as the attack on two elderly nuns in Seremban and the anti-Christian forum held in Universiti Teknology Malaysia (UiTM) had radically changed the image of Malaysia in the eyes of the international community, and is fast tearing the nation’s multi-racial social fabric
He observed that all these happening run counter to the 1Malaysia slogan that Najib launched immediately after being sworn in as the PM, in 2009, and continued to preach during and after the last general election.
“Today, very few Malaysian take that slogan seriously because of what is happening. Some even interpret the silence of the government as a tacit support to what has been done taking into account the admission of the government that allocation had been given to Perkasa to do their program,” he said.
He added that the damage caused is not easy to mend and it will put the courage of the government and Najib to test in taking the right decision and action to stop them.
“The people are wondering and curious on the continued deafening silence on the part of the Prime Minister whom the people expect to lead the country.
“At this point, the Prime Minister must be brave enough to immediately take a decisive action to stop the attack on the Christian religion and on other races in Malaysia,” said Bumburing who is also president of the Movement of Change Sabah (APS).
Bumburing demanded that the full force of the law be applied on religious extremists and hate groups, across the board.
He said the government should stop selective persecution.
He cited for instance, MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok had been charged in court over her new year video but no action had been take against Ibrahim Ali who had uttered the most seditious and dangerous word by saying that he is prepared to launch “perang salib” (crusade).
“He should have been arrested immediately. The organizer of the forum in UiTM must be made to account for what they have done. UiTM belongs to all Malaysia, be they Muslim or non-Muslims.
“Why did the university allowed such a horrendous forum where an open attack and ridicule and hate campaign materials on the Christian religion were distributed?
“We are indeed thankful that the Christians, true to the teaching of Christianity, did not react to the attack.
“If they are to engage the Muslims in religious debate surely they have a lot of arguable issues to present. However nobody will win in a religious debate,” he said.
Extremism, a serious threat
He also warned that the emergence of religious and racial extremism in the country is posing a serious threat to the promise of the founding fathers of Malaysia who envisioned a country where everybody lived together in harmony without racial and religious discrimination.
“The people in the Borneon state of Sabah and Sarawak are especially dismayed by what is happening in Malaya.
“With all that is happening it seems that the dream and vision have been shattered,” he lamented.
Nonetheless, he was glad to note the strong and unequivocal stand by the Chief Minister of Sarawak. He said Adenan Satem’s stand “has given a ray of hope to the people in the Bornean states.”
“And I hope that the leadership of the Sabah state government will take a similar stand,” he said.
Besides this, he also commended the recent statement of the ex-Mufti of Perlis Dr Asri Zainul Abidin who said efforts by any religious community to spread their teaching was a natural phenomenon in all countries, and it did not merit knee-jerk reactions from Muslims in Malaysia.
Asri was responding to the controversial seminar on Christology and the use of the word Allah, held last week at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
“His statement is most encouraging. It is clear that in the pit darkness of extremism there is still ray of tolerance and peace.
“I believe that what he said rings loud in every heart and head of peace loving Malaysian,” said Bumburing.
On hudud, he said APS is against the implementation of the Islamic law in the country as it runs against the Malaysia Agreement 1963, and the constitution of the country.
“We don’t question the desire of Muslim in implementing hudud as it is the law of their religion, however, the country was formed on a secular set-up and it cannot be changed 50 years down the line,” he said.
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