One-time Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia women’s chief Anina Saadudin probably thought posting the image of a billboard in Sabah conveying well-wishers to those observing the Christian Holy Week would elicit some righteous anger.
In a caption accompanying the uploaded image, she appeared to critique the so-called “brazenness” of the contents of the said billboard — which was a special message for the Christian community in conjunction with Good Friday.
“Before this, it was just banners and buntings. Now they have power, they can upgrade to billboards. Can use cranes if not high enough. If not big enough, can double the size by adding pillars. Next year can advertise it on TV. Equality, they say,” read her Facebook post.
Her underlying message was simple enough. How dare these Christians make such a public display of their faith, on a billboard for everyone else in Malaysia to see?
Anina’s allusion is that this would have never happened under the old pre-GE14 Malaysia, and that the country’s minorities are becoming “too much to handle”, and that the next thing they will demand for is “equality.”
But her sad attempt at turning this into an issue of faith in Muslim-majority Malaysia backfired, mostly because according to Sabahan Facebook users, Anina does not truly understand the extent of diversity, peace and understanding among the different communities in the state.
RELATED STORY: Anina rubbishes claim she pocketed RM7 million from Najib
“Blessed good Friday sister Anina Saadudin and to you all my brothers & sisters. Sister Anina I pray may the almighty Allah forgive you. “Father, forgive her, for she didn’t know what she is doing,” said one Facebook user, Kerrol Kay.
Another user, Emmanuel Joshua Fernandez thanked Anina for “sharing” the picture and wished her a blessed Good Friday.
One user, Jacque Konoffsky who said that as a Muslim and Sabahan, he felt disgusted with the former PPBM leader’s Facebook post.
“Why do you want to instigate religion issues?? Sabah doesn’t belong to just one race or one religion. It belongs to everyone regardless of their background,” he said.
But get this. Anina’s post has been liked by over 5,600 people, and has been shared 5,500 times at the time of writing.
Why are people sharing this? The same reason why I think many of them on Facebook are responding to the hate in her post with greetings of love and peace instead.
So why is Malay Mail even writing this then?
I’ll be honest with you. It’s partly for the online clicks. But it is also to show that in Malaysia, there has always been room for love, compassion and understanding — regardless of whether its Malaysia Lama or Malaysia Baharu.
Politicians don’t get to define who we are. Sure, we let them run their mouths every now and again, but at the end of the day, the buck starts and stops with us, and our understanding of the narratives we want this country to be built on. -MALAY MAIL
Former PPBM women’s chief rapped for questioning Easter billboard
KOTA KINABALU: Former PPBM women’s chief Anina Saadudin was roundly criticised by netizens, mostly from Sabah, after she questioned the use of billboards here to promote the Christian holy week of Easter.
In the post uploaded yesterday, Anina said previously, such an advertisement was only displayed on banners or buntings, but the advertisements have been upgraded now to billboards.
“If it’s not high enough, use a crane. If it’s not big enough, add more pillars so the size can be doubled. Next year, advertise on television. We are equal, right?” her post read.
The billboard was put up by the Church of Mary Immaculate in Bukit Padang, one of several billboards put up by the Catholic Church statewide to promote the four-day celebration, which started yesterday.
The holy week is the week before Easter, which falls this Sunday. The week starts from Palm Sunday followed by Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Sabahans defend state’s unique interfaith relationship
Institute for Development Studies executive director Johan Ariffin Samad told FMT that Anina’s comments were neither helpful nor necessary.
“It only creates division and disharmony. Freedom of religion is guaranteed under our constitution and in Sabah our interfaith relationship has always been good and promoted by successive state governments,” he said.
He added that every faith which has money can acquire space on a commercial billboard to celebrate festivities.
Soon, he said Malaysians will be celebrating Hari Raya and billboards will be used for the same purpose by the Muslims to celebrate a significant religious day.
“I don’t think any Christian will criticise such billboards or make an issue of it.
“Sabah is unique in religious tolerance and it should continue to be so. This kind of negative social media postings should be taken down or blocked,” he said.
Sabah PKR Youth information chief Razeef Rakimin said such billboards promoting Good Friday and other religious celebrations are common.
“This has been the norm for years, especially in Inanam and Penampang. But my faith as a Muslim has never felt threatened.
“In Sabah, this is normal because we are not racists, unlike the Umno ilk in the peninsula. That is why Sabahans rejected Umno,” he said.
In less than 24 hours, the post had been shared more than 4,200 times and received more than 9,000 comments from mostly Sabahans, both Muslims and non-Muslims, who took the trouble to “educate” Anina on Sabah’s unique religious tolerance.
One netizen, Suzalina Tungking, said she is a Muslim and her house is opposite a big church with a huge picture of Jesus.
“Every Sunday, I hear the Christians sing their religious songs but my faith never wavers and I never thought of changing my religion. Besides, in Sabah, this (the advertisement) is normal.
“There are some bigger advertisements than this and we were never insulted. I have many non-Muslims in my family and we live in harmony here,” she said.
Another netizen, Mohd Saiful Ismail, said the advertisement is better as it promotes “good things” compared to some advertisements which promote nonsense.
He said although he is a Muslim, his non-Muslim friends are also his brothers.
“So, respect (their religion) and, God willing, our religion will be respected too. I am from the peninsula and I totally agree, people from the peninsula should learn from Sabah and Sarawak about tolerance,” he said.
One netizen, Yanak Wolny Owen, took the posting in jest and said Anina has not yet seen the huge crosses erected on each hill in Sabah.
However, Anina was not without supporters. Quite a few replied to the criticisms levelled against her, saying that Islam had been insulted on various fronts and Muslims have the right to defend their religion.
When contacted by FMT, Anina said she will be issuing a statement later today. FMT
MALAY MAIL / FREE MALAYSIA TODAY
Anina ni pengemis politik.Malay Mail & FMT pun bodoh pi siarkan berita tentang isu terkini Anina buat apa?
ReplyDeleteJangan bagi Anina publisiti langsung.
Saja buat bising supaya orang tak lupakan dia yang satu ketika hanyut dalam longkang.
ReplyDelete