Don't link Islam to Malay rights

Salina Abdul Jalil

LETTER As a Muslim, I am tired of the now-regular statements coming from people like UMNO Youth and Perkasa decrying those they accused of questioning "Malay rights and status of Islam".

Pray, since when has preferential treatment of a race ever been linked to Islam?

These groups should do Muslims, including those Muslims who are not Malays and who believe in Islamic juctice, a big favour by not mentioning 'Malay rights' and 'Islam' in one breath.

For this reason, I applaud the stance by PAS on helping all the poor regardless of their race because this is what Islam stands for. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang could not make it clearer when he recently said the Bumi discount for property purchase should be extended to all poor.

The Prophet Muhammad was not sent to us by Allah for Muslims only, but as Allah says in the Qur'an, he is a "rahmatun lil alamin", mercy to the world.

He is sent for the whole mankind, and he lays down laws in order to treat justly the affairs of man.

So which part of Islamic history and jurisprudence do groups like Perkasa and UMNO Youth still not understand?

If you want to fight for the rights of a certain race or the special status of a certain people over others, then it's your right to do so, but please do not link it to Islam, which by the way is the religion of 1.2 billion others who speak a thousand languages.

Those who link Islam to their demand for preferential treatment will be answerable to God in the Hereafter.

PAS has already made its stance clear according to Islamic justice. Where are all the other Muslim and Islamic NGOs who are out there? What about those so-called liberal Muslim groups who are still mum on this constant abuse of the term 'Islam' to defend a racist ideology? Or are they too waiting in line to take a piece of the property discount? - Harakahdaily