“Zamri Vinoth should respect his non-Muslim ancestry, allow Hindus to celebrate Thaipusam in peace”

 

“YOUR conversion to Islam is your personal matter. But using that conversion as a licence to mock Hindu festivals and insult Hindu beliefs is disgraceful,” snubbed political activist Diccam Lourdes on the constant if not rampant mocking of the Hindu faith by Muslim convert preacher.

“What you are doing is not dakwah – not preaching – and certainly, not faith. It is provocation. It is hatred.”

The DAP Socialist Youth’s (DAPSY) Seputeh chairman was ticking off Zamri, 41, who was born Vinoth Kalimuthu after he mocked Malaysian Hindus as “parya” – a derogatory term referring to the lowly “pariah” caste – in relation to the Penang free ferry service in conjunction with Thaipusam from Jan 31 (12am) to Feb 2 (3am).

For context, the known staunch follower of controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik is currently engaged in a spat with Hindus after he sided rightist Muslims who claim many Hindu temples and shrines are erected on illegal sites.

“Are you guys aware that Parya in India are also not eligible for free land? This means the illegal temple gang is more despicable than the Parya for they want everything free,” Zamri was deemed to have reacted in a Facebook screenshot to an Astro Awani report on the free ferry service in conjunction with Thaipusam.

This prompted Diccam who is also a special duties officer (operations) at the Human Resources Minister’s office to remind Zamri that freedom of religion does not give anyone the right to humiliate others.

“Mockery is not courage. Insults are not truth. And stirring religious hatred only exposes a poverty of character … If you truly value your faith, practise it with dignity. Stop turning religion into a weapon and Malaysia into your battleground.”

‘MIC Youth seek Gobind’s intervention’

Stressing that Malaysia does not belong to one race or one religion, National MIC Youth urged the PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police) and relevant authorities to immediately investigate and take legal action against Zamri under existing provisions.

But whether such plea will be heeded is left to be seen given Zamri has continued to spew racial/religious discord and hatred even with over 900 police reports allegedly been lodged against him.

This country stands on the Federal Constitution, the Rukun Negara and the principle of respect,”

Individuals who deliberately divide the people with religious and racial sentiments should not be left without firm action.

Individuals who deliberately divide the people with religious and racial sentiments should not be left without firm action.

In this regard, MIC Youth further expressed hope that the sole representative of the Indian community at the Cabinet level – Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo – “will also take appropriate action and not remain silent against open insults like this”.

“Enough of playing with racial fire. The law does not discriminate between race or religion,” rued the youth wing of purportedly Malaysia’s biggest Indian-based political party.

Nationwide police report

Finally, one netizen rallied Hindus to lodge nationwide police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reports against Zamri given his comment “appears to touch on ‘3R’ (race, religion and royalty) sensitivities”.

“The comment uses inflammatory language that may violate Malaysian laws regarding public harmony and online conduct,” observed Balachandran Gopal who is a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeon’s Glasgow and a Royal College of Podiatry member.

He outlined three potential violations:

• Derogatory terms: The use of the word “Parya” (Pariah) is a derogatory caste-based slur used to insult the Indian community;
• Religious insults: Phrases like “geng kuil haram” (illegal temple gang) and mocking religious observances (Thaipusam) can be seen as insulting a specific religion;
• Provocation: The statement “lagi hina dari parya” (more despicable than pariahs) could be interpreted as intentional insult to provoke a breach of the peace.

The law provisions that can be cited include:

• Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998: For the improper use of network facilities to create/transmit offensive comments with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass.
• Section 298A of the Penal Code: For causing disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will on grounds of religion.
• Section 504 of the Penal Code: Intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. – Focus Malaysia