Pusat KOMAS’ heartiest Gong Xi Fa Cai to all Malaysians!
Recent unfounded accusations by Parti Bumiputra Perkasa Malaysia’s (PUTRA) vice-president, the learned lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz are more of a paranoia rather than a constructive or prudent view that contains worrying concerns.
Pusat KOMAS welcomes the swift and strong response from the Cabinet condemning the racist and extremist attitude projected by PUTRA through its police report. This immediate move shows the leaders of this nation are finally visibly serious in mitigating divisive factors permeating in our society. This should be how racism is curbed and uprooted by not giving in to bigots.
Transparently celebrating each other’s cultural festivals is an act of love born out of respect that is only possible if the current and future generations are continuously exposed to the cultural heritage embedded in our country’s nerves. It shall motivate them to seek the beauty behind the taboos associated in celebrating festivals of different religions.
As affirmed by court rulings decades ago and by scholars, while Islam is the religion of the State, all the other religions have an equal place of respect in Malaysia. It is clearly visible that Malaysia is a secular state that does not deny the people of other faith to profess and practice their religion. Claiming the festival symbols are plans to conversion are totally unnecessary. Political ploys of this manner are regressive to a nation that has fully committed to promote and preserve beauty in diversity.
As a fellow Malaysian, we expect PUTRA and its like-minded associations or individuals to erase the negative perceptions. Instead, we recommend them to visit families and friends from different ethnic groups, have a conversation with people whose mother tongue varies from yourself, learn the nuances of different cultures – from there, you might get a Wahyu that humans are here to share the earth to the betterment of the world.
Pusat KOMAS is delighted to congratulate the educators of SMK Bandar Puchong 1 for their eagerness to instill essence of multiculturalism amongst the students. Moving further, we humbly request educational institutions all over Malaysia to emulate not only the mainstream festivals but to include the traditional main festivities of Orang Asli and Orang Asal across the country.
Released by,
Pusat KOMAS
10th January 2020