No Boycott for Penang Run

 

 

I am surprised that the BN media is twisting my participation in the BN sponsored Penang Run event yesterday as PR contradicting itself and disproving PR’s claim that the Penang Run event had disrupted Thaipusam Day celebrations. This is untrue as Penang PR state government leaders had neither called for a boycott for Penang Run nor said the Penang Run event had disrupted Thaipusam Day celebrations.

 

The Penang state government had earlier clarified that it was not behind the Penang Run as this is a federal government sponsored event and disagreed with the involvement of Federal government agencies such as USM and Jabatan Belia dan Sukan Pulau Pinang held on Thaipusam Day. Unlike the private sector, a government should be sensitive to religious celebrations and not support events held which may prevent Hindus from participating because they have to prepare for Thaipusam religious celebrations.

 

The Penang state government was speaking up for Hindus who felt slighted by the federal government supporting the event held on Thaipusam Day. However no action was taken to stop the event even though the organizers refused to postpone it. No action was taken to prevent the runners from participating whether the Indians or Hindus or non-Hindus.

 

There is no quarrel between the state government and the runners, which is why I participated in this event with my regular group of runner friends. Just as we may be unhappy with American government policy over the sufferings of the Palestinian people, this does not mean that we are unhappy with the American people. Similarly the problem is not with the runners but with the federal government’s involvement in an event on Thaipusam Day.

 

I am proud to be working for a state government that is open, fair, respect our rights and able to differentiate right from wrong by not blaming the participants, as runners only want to run.