PAS CNY greeting: Respect between communities will prevent controversy

PAS has called on all parties to continue respecting each other as it’s the Malaysian way of life which would prevent controversies between different communities.

In the party’s Chinese New Year greeting, its secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said recent controversies involving Islam wouldn’t have occurred if all parties respected each other's sensitivities.

He pointed out that failure to address such issues leads to "equally damaging responses" from those affected.

"Taking matters lightly, acting arbitrarily, or undermining the legitimate interests and perspectives of others is entirely contrary to the Malaysian identity of mutual respect and cannot be justified," he said in a statement today.

Although he did not mention the specific controversy, in the statement, he alluded to Muslim dietary needs, which could refer to the recent "ham" sandwich debacle.

The issue was sparked by the discovery of ham and cheese sandwiches - which were labelled halal - sold at KK Mart outlets at Universiti Malaya, leading to an uproar including from Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.

The sandwiches were produced by Shake and Bake Cafe Sdn Bhd, which used halal-certified chicken ham to make the sandwiches.

However, the company did not have the certification to put the halal logo on the sandwich packaging.

Malaysian identity

In wishing the rakyat a happy Chinese New Year, Takiyuddin urged all parties to reaffirm their commitment to the Malaysian identity.

"In a country as beautifully diverse as ours, mutual respect, appreciation and understanding are essential conditions to ensure we share a reasonable, productive and fulfilling life," he said.

He added that these values should form the core identity of Malaysians, who have lived in diverse communities for decades.

"Gong Xi Fa Chai. May this year bring prosperity, good health and happiness to all," he said. - Mkini