PARLIAMENT | Deputy National Unity Minister Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has defended Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad's call for a stop to Bon Odori and Oktoberfest celebrations in Malaysia.
The deputy minister said it was not wrong for a religious minister to express such things.
"I can answer this as a Muslim, the Rukun Negara has a principle of courtesy and morality (which covers) any disagreements on culture and religion - for example, Bon Odori or Oktoberfest which is not indigenous, not part of our original culture.
"If there is a difference (of opinion), and the minister (Idris) has expressed his views, I feel we have to respect each other's views.
"It's just that we don't use the law to restrict the freedom of others to practise their culture, so I think it is not wrong for the religious affairs minister to say such things as a Muslim and someone who upholds the authority of religion," he told the Dewan Rakyat.
Wan Fayhsal (above) was responding to a supplementary question from Lim Guan Eng (Pakatan Harapan-Bagan), asking for the National Unity Ministry's stance on Idris disturbing the practices of non-Muslims such as with Bon Odori and Oktoberfest.
Idris last week said Oktoberfest - a German beer festival - should not be allowed in Malaysia, saying that all should respect that the laws here were based on Islam as the religion of the Federation.
While non-Muslims are not forbidden from drinking alcohol, he said making it a festival would lead to social ills.
Idris had also advised Muslims not to attend the Japanese Bon Odori celebrations held here, saying there were elements not in line with Islam.
‘Don’t make noise’
After Wan Fayhsal's response to Lim, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (Perikatan Nasional-Pasir Mas) said others should keep quiet about religious matters.
"Does the deputy minister agree that what was said by the religious affairs minister was not based on his own views, but based on research by religious departments?
"So others should not make noise about religious matters that exist in our country," he said in an additional supplementary question.
Wan Fayhsal responded positively to the PAS lawmaker, saying "I agree".
The deputy minister added that all religions reject practices that are bad for health.
"Yesterday we spoke about cigarettes, today we talk about alcohol.
"So if we can support the religious minister on health grounds, that would be sufficient for me," Wan Fayhsal said. - Mkini
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