Row over Haji cow-slaughter grows: Not retracting statement, says MCCBCHST

Inter-faith group MCCBCHST has no plans to withdraw its call to the authorities to stop the slaughtering of cows in schools and public places despite growing anger from Muslim groups and authorities.

"We have no wish to add further comment either. We have said what we wanted to say and that's it. We see no reason to withdraw any part of our statement," Father Thomas Philips, vice president of the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism told Malaysia Chronicle.

Every faith is supreme

MCCBCHST had issued its call just days before the Hari Raya Haji celebrated over the weekend, where Muslims ritually slaughtered cows and distributed the meat to other Muslims.

In a statement entitled Respect the Religious Sensitivities in Schools, the council had called on the authorities to halt the slaughter at schools and other public places accessible to all faiths.

"However, we are concerned that a ritualistic sacrificing of cows in conjunction with the Hari Raya Haji celebrations is proposed to be held in schools on a school day in the presence of students. We hold a dim view of this purported activity in front of our multi-racial and multi-cultural student population as it ignores the sensitivity of our school-going children and the larger mixed Malaysian society," it said in its statement of November 4.

"We call upon the relevant authorities to respect the sensitivities of our multi-religious society and implore them to halt this ritualistic ceremony in our schools,institutions of higher learning and other public places. We hold that the public places, especially schools, are not the right place for the performance of this ritual that pertains only to the Muslim community.It does not augur well for the promotion of harmony and peace among our varied peoples."

Nonetheless, the heated reaction from Muslim leaders in the country, especially those in the government, does not augur well for multiracial harmony. Saying they felt hurt by the response from these quarters, Christians said it underscored the scant respect shown to the non-Muslims and a growing religious arrogance that boded ill for the country's future.

"Islam is supreme to Muslims. But only as supreme as Christianity is to the Christians or Hinduism to the Hindus. This is sheer bad manners and shameful conduct on the part of Muslim authorities. As though they can do what they like without considering the sensitivities of others," S Peters, a Christian lay-leader at a large Catholic church in Petaling Jaya.

"This is especially difficult to accept when the non-Muslims are forced to abide by strict rules not to impinge on Islam. But it works both ways. Respect must be mutual or why should we respect you?"

Heated response from Muslims

Peters was referring to comments made by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mashitah Ibrahim, who accused the MCCBCHST of not respecting the rights of Muslims or the position of Islam as Malaysia's official religion.

"To me, the issue was purposely created to raise racial sentiment. The ritual of sacrifice has been practiced for a long time and has never been questioned by any party," Berita Harian had quoted Mashitah as saying.

"In a multi-racial society, other religions should respect the rights of Islam like how Muslims respect the rights and freedom of non-Muslims. This issue should not have arisen if all ethnic groups respect each other and understand the spirit of living in a multi-racial society."

While Mashitah spoke a lot about mutual respect, she did not deny or make any clarification as to whether schools and public places had indeed been used to slaughter the animals.

Meanwhile, Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya is the latest to wade into the issue.

"I'm disappointed with MCCBCHST's official statement that directs Muslims not to make public sacrifice. This is clearly directing the rituals of other religions. It is better not to interfere. If there is any unhappiness or disturbance, it is better to resolve it behind closed doors. Malaysians have achieved independence and lived peacefully for so long, so don't make it an issue," Juanda said in a statement yesterday.

Like Mashitah, Juanda may have decided to play to the Muslim gallery at the expense of fairness and give-and-take. For example, he did not once mention the sensitivities of the Hindus and Buddhists.

The annual Qurban or slaughter is usually done on mosque grounds, but there have been plans for it to be held on the premises of at least two schools in Kuala Lumpur.

"Just as we do not serve pork or alcohol when we invite Muslims to our homes or events, we expect them to respect us back too and not serve meats that are not 'halal' to us. But nowadays everything is so racial and getting from bad to worse, it is a real shame," said Peters.

Malaysia Chronicle