19 October 2017

Dr Tan Chuan Hong: Penang State Government agrees to religious extremist statement?

Regarding the resurfacing of a 2-year old video of Penang preacher and Pengetua of a Penang-based religious school Maahad Tahfiz Darul Tahzhib who delivered a controversial statement, Irrespective of whether the video is a new or old production, Penang MCA Organising Secretary Tan Chuan Hong strongly condemns such sensitive and controversial remarks based on a few points below:

1. Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural country. Mutual respect among all the races is a must in Malaysia.

2. We strongly support the call by the Conference of Rulers to keep racial harmony in this country and to reject all kinds of extremisms especially religious extremism.

3. MCA has been upholding and defending the Federal Constitution since 1957 in which the rights of non-Muslims are well protected under the Federal Constitution. Any attempts that will bring negative impact to the Federal Constitution will not be tolerated by MCA.

4. As a religious school head, Shahul Hamid Seeni Muhammad should be teaching his pupils about mutual respect and not deliverg controversial statements such as urging Muslim parents not to send their children to Chinese schools or urging Muslims to boycott curry powder made by Hindus. Young generation should be taught to live peacefully with others in this country and citizens should not be separated/isolated based on religion.

5. There are no laws in Islam to ban Muslims to have hair cut by non-Muslims and as a head of a religious school, Shahul Hamid should in a better position to know all these.

On the other hand, Penang MCA also disagrees with the statement made by YB Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim, Penang Islamic Religious Committee Chairman cum Penang State Exco on religious affairs. We ask YB to answer the 2 questions below:

1. What do you understand by freedom of speech? Can someone talk about sensitive issues publicly and create lots of controversy?

2. More importantly, Penang MCA would like to know the stand of the Penang State Government on this issue?  Does te state government agree that Muslims should not get haircut services from non-Muslims? Could it be made as a fatwa in Penang?

Finally, we ask Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to respond in this issue especially regarding YB Datuk Abdul Malik is openly supporting Shahul Hamid by saying he respects the freedom of speech of Shahul Hamid. We ask the Chief Minister to express clearly whether if it is allowed for those preachers in Penang to deliver their extremist religious rhetoric?

In conclusion, Penang MCA stresses that:

1. All religions are good in nature and teach all their followers to be good and kind

2. No doubt under the Federal Constitution, Islam is the religion of the Federation, but other believers are allowed to practise their own faith

3. All preachers should not spread narrow religious thinking and misleading teaching

4. Children in this country should live together and not separate them according to religion or not socialising with others.

Dr Tan Chuan Hong
MCA Penang State Organising Secretary

-MCA online-