Haris Ibrahim questions Isma’s Islamic ideologies
(The Rakyat Post) – Activist and lawyer Haris Ibrahim questions Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia’s (ISMA) Islamic ideologies in comparing them to Prophet Muhammad’s, in light of the criticism dished out by the controversial Malay rights group’s outburst over the forming of Negara-Ku.
Haris, who represents Asalkan Bukan Umno (ABU), one of the 68 non-governmental organisations (NGO) forming the coalition, whose agenda is to instil unity, peace and harmony among Malaysians, questioned ISMA’s and Gerakan Lindungi Malaysia’s (GLM) basis in rejecting efforts towards racial equality and harmony in Malaysia.
“To my knowledge, Prophet Muhammad’s practise of Islam was adhering to truth.
“Even if in so doing you (ISMA) harm or have prejudice over the interests of your own people and relatives,” he said on his blog site today, adding that the Prophet had rejected the idea of Islam favoring one race as being higher than the other, as recorded in his last sermon in Arafah.
He urged ISMA president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman and GLM to reveal how a coalition formed to spur the country back in line by adhering to the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land, the Malaysia Agreement and the Rukun Negara as a guide for national objectives and values could be of danger to the Malay Muslim community.
Islamist website Arus Baru, yesterday, had announced the formation of GLM, a movement to “protect Malaysia” from “evil threats” two days after Negara-Ku was launched on Thursday.
Haris also pointed out the Reid Commission’s report in relation to Article 153 which stipulates that citizens should be given equal rights, privileges and opportunities and there must not be discrimination on the grounds of race and creed.
Meanwhile, Wanita ISMA information chief, associate professor Dr Rafidah Hanim Mokhtar said Malaysian Muslims should not be quick to rejoice over the forming of Negara-Ku, saying that its members are signatories of the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs in the Universal Periodic Review (COMANGO) petition.
“Have we forgotten that these signatories are the same persons who had opposed the articles in the constitution that is pertinent in the sanctity of Islam as the religion of the Federation?” she said, on ISMA’s website today.
She also lambasted the coalition for supporting “contentious issue like LGBT, a secular Malaysia and embracing pluralism”.
The Negara-Ku Coalition, led by patrons Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said and former Suhakam vice-chairman Tan Sri Simon Sipaun was launched on Thursday and aims at fostering unity among Malaysians regardless of race, religion, gender or creed.
The coalition includes all Women Action Society (AWAM), Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran), Malaysian Indian Transformation Action Team (MITRA), Lingkaran Islam Traditional (LIT) and Asalkan Bukan Umno (ABU).
