Enough with ‘pendatang’, ‘penceroboh’ name-calling, Muslim NGO tells Malaysians

The president of Muslim NGO, Ikram, Dr Mohd Parid Sheikh Ahmad has urged Malaysians to stop calling non-Malay or non-Muslim citizens 'immigrants' and 'intruders.' – Ikrammedia pic, October 26, 2014.The president of a Muslim NGO, Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia (Ikram) has urged Malaysians to stop calling non-Malay or non-Muslim citizens as 'pendatang' (immigrants) or 'penceroboh' (intruders).

Its president Dr Mohd Parid Sheikh Ahmad instead called upon all citizens to focus their efforts in instilling respect and understanding among different races in Malaysia.

"How can the non-Malays and non-Muslims, who helped develop this nation with all their heart and soul, be called 'pendatang' and 'penceroboh' when this country too belongs to them?

"Name-calling such as this infuriates the non-Muslims, as their loyalty to the country is being questioned and they are stigmatised as pendatang and penceroboh," said the Ikram president.

He said this in his speech in front of about 2,500 Ikram members from across Malaysia during the NGO's annual general assembly at the Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Complex in Subang Jaya yesterday.

Another Muslim NGO, Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) had previously courted controversy when its president claimed on May 6 that the Chinese in Malaysia were intruders.

A Gerakan member had responded to the issue by announcing that all Malaysians, including the Malays, were 'pendatang', during the party's annual conference on October 19.

This prompted Isma to retort that Malays were instead 'perantau' (travellers), and not immigrants.

"If he was referring to the Malays who come from Sumatra, Sulawesi and Borneo, he cannot call them 'pendatang'.

"Malays who move from that area are referred to as 'perantau'," Isma vice-president Muhammad Fauzi Asmuni had said on the group's website last Friday.

Ikram today disagreed, saying the suspicions and doubt sown between the races by certain groups were threatening the harmony and love that had been nurtured all this while.

"Not only will it jeapordise the unity that is so important to our nation's development, but it can also affect efforts to create peace, understanding and dialogue between the races and religion, which is crucial in spreading Islam in a multicultural society," Mohd Parid told fellow activists.

He also explained the reasoning behind the NGO's taking part in the Negara-Ku movement, saying that it was to encourage all Malaysians to view Islam more positively.

"We must encourage dialogue between the races and religions, and make efforts to bring peace and understanding between the races in such a diverse society.

"Ikram will not allow the polarisation of races to continue in this country. It benefits no one when we should be focusing our attention on nation-building," he added.

According to Mohd Parid, the act of fuelling tensions using issues of race and religion would create misunderstanding over the 'dakwah' (preaching) efforts among Muslims here.

"Islam's image as a religion that is peaceful and focused on dialogue must be maintained, and we must stamp out elements of threats and sedition (among Muslims)." he said.

- TMI