It’s a ploy to unseat Anwar, says ex-MP on rise in religious rhetoric

 

Charles Santiago said the religious rhetoric is also meant to falsely paint Anwar Ibrahim as someone who cannot protect Islam and the rights of Malay Muslims.

PETALING JAYA: A former MP said the recent increase in religious rhetoric is aimed at unseating Anwar Ibrahim as the prime minister, calling it a “ploy for political gain”.

Such rhetoric is also meant to falsely paint the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman as someone who cannot protect Islam and the rights of Malay Muslims, Charles Santiago said.

“The current government isn’t perfect, but Datuk Seri Anwar is a better option (than the opposition).

“So let’s come together as Malaysians to reject the use of religious beliefs to manipulate, control and dominate us through fear,” the former Klang MP said in a statement.

Santiago said that Christians were once again being fashioned as proselytising Muslims and that such a narrative had dangerous consequences.

“Those fanning such religious and racial sentiments don’t care about the country or its people, but (are doing it simply to gain) political power.”

Yesterday, Anwar claimed that certain “desperate” people who felt challenged will continue to play up racial and religious sentiments to their advantage.

Later, Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani also warned that action would be taken against those who make racially-charged statements.

The statements come in the wake of a police investigation into blogger Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, over his Facebook post linking a youth and sports ministry organisation to Christian evangelism.

On Thursday, PAS MP Ahmad Yunus Hairi, urged the government not to build non-Muslim houses of worship in the same vicinity as mosques due to “sensitivities”.

This suggestion was quickly rebutted by political leaders in Sabah and Sarawak, who said it was not in line with the teachings of Islam. - FMT