The real threats to Islam and religious harmony

Hasan Ali is an epitome of an ambitious and desperate politician who would not mind manufacturing lies and deceits in order to stay in power. Much like others before him, Zulkifli Nordin and Ibrahim Ali, Hasan has been threatening to release a video to prove Christian proselytisation of Muslims.

Again, he said he would release excerpts of the video featuring an apostate Muslim couple, now returned to Islam, who he said would reveal details of methods employed by Christians to foment apostasy among Muslims.

Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing urged Hasan Ali to opt for "full rather than striptease disclosure".

"For a man of his academic rigour, I'm surprised that he thinks piecemeal disclosure is sufficient," he argued.

"He has not only to show the entire video but also produce the couple for questioning by a full court press before others can be convinced of the authenticity of his claims of devious means employed by Christians to proselytise Muslims," elaborated the bishop.

Hasan's action is fishy and suspicious. It smells of a grand design to use the issue of proselytisation and apostasy as means to an end to benefit his or his sponsors' political aim.

In almost a concerted move, the Johor Education Department and Johor Mufti Department are jointly organizing a forum called "Strengthening the Faith, the dangers of Liberalism and Pluralism and the Threat of Christianity towards Muslims. What is the role of teachers?" which requires the attendance of at least two religious teachers from 55 national schools across Johor.

It is clearly a provocation and an attempt to spread distrust towards Christians in Malaysia. Is this a state sponsored programme with the intention to incite hatred and bad faith between Muslims and Christians?

It is timely for the Umno led government to come clean on their intention. This forum is another egg on the face scenario for the 1Malaysia government. If this is the sole decision of little Napoleans, the Ministry of Education should immediately put a stop to such intimidation and distortion.

If this is a state sponsored event which aims to consolidate Malay Muslim voters under the Umno umbrella, then it is time for the Malay community to wake up and recognize who are the biggest threat to this plural and diverse society and nation.

It is a crime not to celebrate our pluralism and diversity and calling it a threat instead.

We should reject such attempts and cheap stunts. It is sad what political parties are willing to commit for the own political gains.

Is this still the Malaysia we know and grew up in?

-khookaypeng.blogspot.com