What shall we talk about today?

And that is the real issue here. Everything in Malaysia is about Malays versus non-Malays, Muslims versus non-Muslims and Barisan Nasional versus Pakatan Rakyat. So every issue is spun and twisted to suit this agenda. Malaysia is sliding down the very slippery slope of no return.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Wow! There are just so many issues to talk about this week. I feel like a kid in a toyshop. When there are so many things to choose from the kids find it so difficult to decide. At least that happens to my grandkids when I take them to Toys-R-Us.

Anyway, let us go through the issues one-by-one and see what we can talk about today. So as not to juggle too many balls in the air at the same time, I think we should look at what is current and still outstanding and ignore those that can be considered as having been put to rest, so to speak.

Note that this list is not in order of priority or importance. I will just juggle the balls as they come to mind and throw those that, as I said, have been put to rest in the dustbin and focus on what can be considered as still current, and more importantly, still outstanding.

The issue of Muslims and dogs is still being debated with some Muslims suggesting that so-and-so should be arrested and rehabilitated for touching dogs while some argue that Muslims are allowed to touch dogs and can even keep them as pets.

Is the view that dogs are taboo to Muslims a universal view or a Malay view? I have talked about this long beforeMalaysia Today was set up on 13th August 2004 (hmm…next week we shall be celebrating our ninth anniversary) and I have already stated that dogs are not taboo for Muslims. So why are we still arguing about the matter?

Malays must understand that their personal view does not represent the Islamic view and they should not impose their personal view on others. This appears to be something the Malays do not understand in spite of talking about it for decades. When will the Malays stop screaming about matters that do not reflect proper Islamic view?

Okay, let’s agree with the Malay view and accept that dogs are taboo and that Muslims should not touch dogs and that those who do should be sent for rehabilitation. But then is touching dogs the most serious crime a Muslim can do -- assuming in the first place it is even a crime?

What about Malays who give and take bribes or Malays who serve liquor (say in the MAS flights) or Malays who work in banks (or finance companies) and charge plus pay interest (credit cards included) and so on? This is more serious than touching dogs. Do you now propose that all these Malays should be arrested and sent for rehabilitation?

If we do that then we may need to probably round up millions of Malays and lock them up and subject them to religious classes and lectures. Even imams and ulamaks may need to be arrested and locked up for various crimes against Islam (many buy cars and houses on loan plus fly MAS to go overseas, the Haj to Mekah included).

So why just dogs? Dogs are at the bottom of the list of 100 crimes against Islam.

We are getting very silly. Dogs are not haram. Dogs may be dirty, especially if they lick you. But you can wash dirt. You can even disinfect that part of your body that the dog licked. Even non-Muslims would want to wash the dog’s saliva from their body. That would be the hygienic thing to do. But that does not make dogs haram, as do interest, liquor, gambling and whatnot.

But Malays are just concerned about dogs and not the rest. And this is silly.

The Bak Kut Teh issue is still a hot issue. Now even the Blogger’s mother has been dragged into the controversy. The two offenders have been arrested and charged. On top of that they have apologised.

Since this is now a legal case why is the issue still hot? Is this not contempt of court? Since you have decided to take the matter to court then let the court decide what happens. That is the proper way. If someone were to comment about a matter before the court you will scream contempt of court. But you can comment about a court matter. When it comes to you that is not contempt of court.

And are you saying the Bloggers’ apology is not accepted? Then why ask them to apologise? You ask them to apologise and when they do you refuse to accept it. What the hell is wrong with you? Why not just tell them that no apology will be accepted rather than scream for them to apologise and then reject it?

Then we have the canteen-in-the-changing-room incident. Who made the decision to temporarily use that changing room as a canteen? Some say the PTA (PIGB). Some say the headmaster.

Can we see the Minutes of the PTA meeting to establish what really happened? I hear there is such a document so why has it not been released yet? Is it because there are non-Muslims amongst the PTA committee?

I also hear that the headmaster in a staunch and active Umno member. Is this why the matter has been turned into a political issue? Is it about politics? So now the Umno extremists are going to come out in support of the headmaster. And it is going to be a them-versus-us issue. It is also going to be turned into a Muslim versus non-Muslim issue.

And that is the real issue here. Everything in Malaysia is about Malays versus non-Malays, Muslims versus non-Muslims and Barisan Nasional versus Pakatan Rakyat. So every issue is spun and twisted to suit this agenda. Malaysia is sliding down the very slippery slope of no return.

Looking at this from the point of history, such animosity can never be resolved until it is settled with bloodshed. And this appears to be what everyone is pushing for. Do you really want blood to spill?

Once blood is spilled the matter will never be resolved anyway. It will just end up with one side winning and the other losing. And the losing side will suffer a backlash from the winning side. History has proven this time and time again. So be careful what you wish for.