Yoursay: Zuraida, single religion townships don’t promote universal values

YOURSAY | ‘The new government was supposed to make things better. Not worse.’

Yoursay: Zuraida defends Raudhahville as promoting universal values

David Dass: I suppose that it is theoretically possible for each race to choose to stay in townships designed for them.

So you could have a Chinaville and an Indianville. I am not sure whether there are enough Eurasians for a Eurasianville. There might be a demand for a Christianville, a Hinduville and a Buddhistville.

I am not sure that they would all reflect universal values. But they could all be made quite interesting, Each would reflect the cultural and religious beliefs of the people who stay there.

Is this what our future is going to be?

There was a time when the Chinese preferred to be among Chinese. Sentul and Brickfields used to be Indian areas.

I suppose there will always be those who prefer to stay with their own kind. I know people who have worked their entire lives in the government service and do not have a single friend from another race.

Is this the direction we are heading towards?

I think that it is the wrong direction for us to go. But this preference to be among your own kind has been a feature of housing development for a long time. It is not as if the Malays were the only ones.

Segregated townships simply lower the threshold for tolerance and compromise. Contact between people of different races and religions is reduced.

There will be a progressive loss of experience and knowledge of each other. Points of conflict may become more acute.

This is a bad move by the minister. Remember the difficulty Christians had in building a new church in Shah Alam. It had to be relocated several times because Malays objected to its presence near them.

In the end, it was located in a factory area and its design had to camouflage its true identity as a church. No church steeple and no external cross.

The new government was supposed to make things better. Not worse.

Seektruth: RM12.3 billion township is targeting Muslims specifically, but with national unity in mind.

Are you listening to yourself, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin?

Roger 5201: If Muslim values are universal, how come Malaysia didn't ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd) and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), when the Saudis, Indonesia and Pakistan had no problem doing that?

Would non-Muslims be able to buy non-halal food in Raudhahville? And go to church on a Sunday or walk in the park with their girlfriends/boyfriends?

G-Sam: Malaysia unity has to start with the government.

I won't be surprised if this project becomes a failure like Lowyat 2. And more so, at a price tag of RM12 billion.

P Dev Anand Pillai: This is nothing new. We have Shah Alam as an example.

We, the people, must now be united and keep pushing for equality and fairness through the participatory process of the democracy that we practise.

If we keep quiet, decisions will be made for us.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Instead of building bridges, we are erecting walls in New Malaysia.

What purpose will such a city serve? Instead of integration we are intent upon differentiation.

Pakatan Harapan, you are getting from bad to worse. Soon, you will overtake Umno/BN in dividing the people.

As each new day dawns, you seem to come up with new disingenuous ideas on how to keep the people apart.

Anonymous_1540780680: We want a government to work for all Malaysians, not just for one ethnic group. This is definitely not the new Malaysia that we want.

Clever Voter: Bankrupt of ideas, and desperate to seek attention are the hallmarks of this ruling government.

The only plus point in this Islamic city is that it would not be necessary to have a 30 percent allocation for bumiputeras.

Anonymous_cdb4fb5d: Zuraida has become the salesperson for rich developers.

Why is she so concerned about unsold property of the developers? She is not bothered about people who voted for Harapan.

Anonymous 2465861491622056: This will result in townships for different ethnic groups.

We have gone back to pre-1969.

Look forward. Otherwise, we might become another Lebanon.

Docsarna: If someone were to finance an Indian or Chinese or a one-race dominant housing project, would you allow it?

Anonymous_1371726498: Indeed, will a similar project by Christians, Hindus, Buddhists be approved by the authorities?

Why, oh why, Minister, the double-standards? Look at Putrajaya, our one-race national capital.

ChuenTick: Yes, if a developer is to promote, say, a Buddhist township with stupas and viharas, I wonder what the response from Zuraida will be.  - Mkini