Tread carefully on religious matters, says Ikram sec-gen
Astro removed the earlier disclaimer on the documentary on Pope Francis following complaints by viewers. — The Malay Mail pic
(The Malay Mail) – He also advised the public to be sensible and hold people responsible for their own actions without generalising based on race or beliefs as this would focus and minimise issues.
Recent allegations of insults against religions are causing unease among locals and could go down an ugly road if they are not dealt with tactfully.
Activists say such cases would be better countered with knowledge instead of the authorities coming down hard on religious offenders.
Muslim non-governmental organisation Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia (Ikram) secretary-general Zaid Kamaruddin said education rather than punishment could be a good way out.
“It is better to educate the public than stoke the fire.
“A better understanding through education is preferable to enforcement. Laws should be the last resort.”
He said this did not just refer to religious tolerance and respect being taught in schools, but also through socialisation.
“People are living apart and not engaging enough (with others of different backgrounds).
“I hope in our mixed community, leaders should come together instead of taking sides,” he said.
Zaid said people are living apart and not engaging enough.
He also advised the public to be sensible and hold people responsible for their own actions without generalising based on race or beliefs as this would focus and minimise issues.
“If you draw the trajectory, it looks like this (religious tension) is building up and it makes people uptight,” he said.
Zaid said one of the main causes leading to the recent trend was the speed by which information circulated.
“It is almost instantaneous. This means anything that happens anywhere will get reactions, especially religious issues.
“Thirty years ago, whatever people chatted about in coffee shops often wouldn’t even leave the table,” said Zaid.
He said some issues touched on the raw nerves of Muslims, especially if taken without a pinch of salt.
“A buka puasa with bak kut teh may have been meant as a joke,” said Zaid, referring to the case of Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee who shared a Ramadan greeting featuring them eating a dish made of pork.
However, he said Muslims were generally forgiving once a mistake was acknowledged but education was the best panacea.
He said in the case of Tan and Lee, although the two were of a certain ethnicity or religion, only the two individuals should be held responsible.
Regarding the surau in Johor being used by Buddhists, Zaid said it was good of the Buddhist high priest to come forward and apologise even though he should not be held responsible.
“The Buddhist group asked for permission and was given permission. How did they know if it was against Islam?” he asked.
Muslim NGO Sisters in Islam said a different picture would be painted if the authorities practised selective prosecution along with excessive use of power.
Civil liberties lawyer Shahredzan Johan told The Malay Mail Online yesterday that the crackdown by religious authorities was going to create a climate of fear in which “people would not want to say what they want to say.”
He even painted a possible future scenario where non-Muslims find themselves thinking twice before inviting a Muslim into their homes, fearing that even this would upset them.
They also quoted Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) director Dr Lim Teck Ghee who said non-Muslims were alarmed at the “growing trend of religious fundamentalism” and noted that businesses would become more wary of Muslim sensitivities
The Malay Mail Online had on Monday highlighted a letter by a viewer Patricia Anne Martinez who complained of a visual warning displayed repeatedly during a documentary on Pope Francis, the head of the global Catholic Church.
Shown four times during the documentary, the message read: “This program portrays depiction of religious figures and represents views other than Muslims’. Viewer discretion is advised.”
Martinez, who is Roman Catholic, labelled the warning as “insulting” and “insensitive”, saying it was akin to portraying a show on the head of one of the world’s largest religions as similar to pornography.
She questioned “how threatening or offensive to Muslims’ views could a biography of such a man of God and peace,” noting that Pope Francis was the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to personally greet Muslims for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Many echoed her sentiments and following the uproar Astro reworded the disclaimer at noon yesterday during a rerun of the documentary. The new disclaimer read: “The following programme may contain religious views, statements or scenes that may require viewer discretion.”
Several people, approached by The Malay Mail yesterday, were reluctant to comment over the matter for fear of a reprisal.
