KUALA TERENGGANU: Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has slammed several Muslim personalities for openly supporting efforts to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).
Hadi, who is also vice-president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, also said it was compulsory for Muslims to oppose ICERD as its ratification would place Islam on the “same level” as other religions in the country.
“Unfortunately, there are Muslims who don’t understand or pretend not to understand… they want to fight for equality by making Islam the same as other religions.
“We must oppose (ICERD) because it is compulsory for Muslims to say that Islam is correct. We can give rights to other religions but to say that other religions are the same as Islam is unacceptable.
“This is a line we cannot cross,” he said during a ceramah at Masjid Abidin on the eve of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday here last night.
Present were Menteri Besar Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and state executive councillors.
Hadi added that ICERD must not be ratified in Malaysia as it would be unfair for the country.
“We have to understand that fairness must be applied properly. (For example), parents with 10 children are not the same as parents with three children. We cannot give all parents the same things in the name of fairness.
“The Bumiputera Muslims are lagging behind. The (British) colonisers gave us poor learning facilities while the non-Muslims were placed in cities to control trade, industry, the ports and many more.
“To remove (our privileges) in our weak state in the name of equality is not right.”
Although Article 1(1) of ICERD does not place religion under the definition of racial discrimination, Article 5(d)(vii) guarantees the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
NST
Bawang dare call himself muslim. He was riding Islam to gain political milage all this while. He should be call Pil Kuda
ReplyDeleteThe Malays arenot poor anymore, through education, many are office workers alrdi, maybe Hadi is not aware, he should also research property owners, many can afford housing
ReplyDeleteThe government can concentrate on other groups like the Indians. Intact it will be better to place all needy children in hostel with proper education in a place, so that parents can work & saved to get out of the poverty cycle. Any system is good, as long as the people handling the funds are honest
It is sad actually, religion should have faith, not fear, what is the fear about? You project your religion through faith & actions