Time for Mahathir to be more statesman

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement today that it is not wrong for Ibrahim Ali to suggest that Bahasa Malaysia Bibles be burned and that such a statement is not seditious does not go down well with Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak.

The argument that even Qur’ans can be burned is not valid. Qur’ans that are old and tattered and can no longer be read must be burned to ensure that it is not treated like trash and thrown into a dustbin alongside other dirty things and whatnot.

Burning Qur’ans, in this case, is an act of respect. Burning Qur’ans as a mark of protest is not a mark of respect, especially if done by non-Muslims to protest against Islam.

In this instance we are talking about Muslims burning Bibles to protest Christians using Allah in the Bible. This is not meant as a mark of respect like Muslims burning old and tattered Qur’ans.

We should put this issue to sleep instead of continuing to fan the flames. Tun Dr Mahathir should speak out with a voice of liberalism and not with a voice of extremism.