SUCH was the ticking off National DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming got from PAS lawmaker Datuk Siti Zailah Yusoff for excessive use of commonly heard Islamic expressions in the likes of “sujud syukur” (prostration of gratitude), “Alhamdulillah” (Praise be to God) and “bersyukur” (be grateful).
The Housing and Local Government Minister has apparently agitated conservative Muslims during the winding-up speech in Dewan Rakyat when he addressed the ministry’s success in reviving 40,000 units of “sick projects” under the PR1MA housing scheme in Bukit Katil, Melaka – the last out of 34 such abandoned projects nationwide.
“Alhamdulillah, as of today, the last sick project in Bukit Katil under PR1MA (is completed), tonight I perform a sujud syukur,” Malaysiakini cited Nga who is a Methodist Christian according to his Wikipedia profile as saying.
“Those (projects) were all from the previous government, including friends on the other side. I worked tirelessly but before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, a promise (will be) fulfilled. All projects are fully completed. The keys will be handed over before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.”
But his seemingly free flow use of Islamic phrases sparked concern in the Rantau Panjang MP who stood up to interject Nga’s speech while directly enquired if the Teluk Intan MP “is a believer”.
“Are you a believer? Do you believe in Allah? We don’t wish these phrases to be toyed with,” justified the former PAS women’s wing chief.
“I worry it may confuse Muslims. If these matters are toyed with, this question touches on the 3R (race, religion and royalty) sentiments we’ve been reminded to be careful about … If YB is a Muslim, I’ve no issue. But don’t use such phrases (freely) to mislead the public.”
Two sides of the coin
In his rebuttal, Nga who was born in Kota Bharu and has often associated himself as “anak Kelantan” urged the former women, family and community development deputy minister not to be “unduly emotional” for he, too, is a Kelantanese and is familiar with such terms commonly used by Muslims.
“Alhamdulillah – that word is Arabic, right? InsyaAllah means ‘if God wills’, Alhamdulillah means expressing gratitude,” quipped the 53-year-old lawyer by profession.
“That’s why I feel we shouldn’t always lean toward issues that go against unity … therefore, I wish to extend an invitation to YB to attend my ministry’s Hari Raya open house (to witness the display of true Malaysian spirit).
Interestingly, Nga courted mixed responses from both sides of the fences as evidenced from the Malaysiakini English Facebook post and those from rightist groups.
He was immediately branded as “among the most evil kafir (infidels) in DAP” by detractors who also mocked him “to first convert to Islam prior to using the Quran and Hadith”.
“Even then, there are Malay bootlickers who support Nga when he’s clearly playing with Quranic verses to equate himself with those that non-Muslims on the opposition side use,” snubbed one commenter.
“He’s barking loudly because he’s a pork eater,” added another.
Non-Muslims who came to Nga’s defence felt that those phrases are not copyrighted to Malaysian Muslims given “Alhamdulillah” for instance is an Arabic phrase for expressing gratitude that is widely used by speakers regardless of faith, including Christians in the Middle East.
In fact, Muslims should be happy that non-Muslims are prompted to cite deemed Islamic terms “as a mark of respect on Islamic teaching”, opined one commenter.
As another blindly put it, “if a non-Muslim can’t quote any verses from the Quran to clarify certain matters, then Muslims should also be denied the same”.
“On the other hand, if they’re allowed to do so, any error they make can be corrected,” he jibed.
In essence, one commenter struck the chord by stating the obvious – “there’s no intellectual property issue in religion”.
- focus malaysia
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