DAP must be careful before questioning Islamic teachings
But to condemn the prime minister for not attending a Christmas party is absurd and the type of thing only DAP will do. Would Muslims condemn the Indian prime minister for not attending the Hari Raja Haji or Hari Raya Korban celebration?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
(FMT) – The conspicuous absence of the prime minister or his representative at the Christian Federation of Malaysia’s (CFM) annual Christmas high tea yesterday is disappointing as it does not augur well for his Keluarga Malaysia concept, says an MP.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said Ismail Sabri Yaakob should realise that 9% of Malaysians were Christians.
She said she was told by the organisers that Ismail’s office did not even respond to the invitation unlike past prime ministers who not only responded but had attended the gathering in the festive spirit.
She said in the past, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak had made it a point to attend the annual function to show they were prime ministers for all Malaysians.
“There was a year when even Muhyiddin Yassin represented the government as the deputy prime minister when Najib was abroad.
“This is the kind of Malaysia we want and expect as it shows inclusivity.”
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DAP leaders are fond of commenting on Islamic teachings, using the excuse of inclusivity, multiculturalism, tolerance towards all religions, and so on.
What if the Shia community were to invite the prime minister to celebrate (or commemorate) the Day of Ashura (which many Malays still celebrate) and the PM does not attend the festival or send a representative in his place? In fact, instead of attending the Day of Ashura commemoration, the police and officers from the religious department might arrest everyone and send them for rehabilitation.
Some Sunni Muslims regard Shiism as a deviant sect and consider Shia as non-Muslims. Hence, for the PM to attend the Day of Ashura celebration organised by the Shia community would be both political and religious suicide.
But can’t we use Teresa Kok’s argument to compel the PM to attend the Shia festival? If that argument applies to Christians, why can’t it apply to Shia Muslims as well? After all, Christians are also ‘deviants’ according to the Qur’an, which strongly rejects the Trinity and the ‘Jesus is the Son of God’ doctrine.
DAP should not mess with people’s beliefs and turn it into a political issue. The one-week Pesta Puja Pantai is another case in point. ‘Puja’ is a Sanskrit word and means worship or pray to. And the one-week Pesta Puja Pantai is an old pagan custom where Malays camp on the beach to honour the God of the Sea.
Mandi Safar is another old pagan Malay custom where they ‘tolak bala’ by bathing in the sea (almost like baptism). We were made to do that back in the old days (before the 1970s), but today many do not do it anymore.
Yes, there is a long list of festivals that Malays used to observe, and the scholars have classified most of them as animism or paganism. So it is entirely up to Muslims if they wish to join the Christmas celebration, which was adopted from an old Roman pagan festival.
I have been celebrating Christmas since the day I was born 71 years ago, as have all my family on my mother’s side. But Christmas should not be made into an obligation or political issue like what DAP is doing. In fact, the majority who celebrate Christmas in the UK do not go to church or do not believe in God. It is merely a day to get drunk.
But to condemn the prime minister for not attending a Christmas party is absurd and the type of thing only DAP will do. Would Muslims condemn the Indian prime minister for not attending the Hari Raja Haji or Hari Raya Korban celebration?
