Chua: Racial unity still fragile

BANTING - Although Malaysia will celebrate its 54th anniversary of independence this month, racial unity among the people is still fragile.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said it was important for Malaysians to be aware of the religious sensitivities of the multi-racial and multi-religious community.

“Although Malaysia will be celebrating 54 years of independence soon, racial unity is still fragile,” he told a crowd of over 2,000 people at the 14th anniversary dinner of the Hock Teck Sye Temple near Kampung Teluk Bunut here last night.

Dr Chua said everyone should promote good values, especially in a country like Malaysia.

He later donated RM15,000 to the temple.

Dr Chua also condemned the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department's (Jais) operation on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church recently, saying that it did not show respect to the religion of others.

In the operation, Jais enforcement officers had gone to the church after receiving a tip-off that Muslims were at a dinner ceremony at the church.

The move has since caused an outrage.

Dr Chua also hit out at PAS for trying to instil Islamic values in the policies of the states they governed.

“PAS should not force everyone to accept their Islamic values.

“No one is against Islam, but we do not accept PAS trying to Islamise everything,” he said.

Dr Chua said although he accepted Islam as the official religion of the country, non-Muslims must have the right and freedom to practise their respective culture.

“Gambling is not a Chinese culture, but it is our choice and freedom (to gamble),” he said.

- The Star