Putrajaya’s unity council a threat to unity, says Perkasa
A day after the newly-formed National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) held its first meeting, Malay right wing group Perkasa called it a threat to national unity, accusing it of questioning the Malay rulers.
Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali (pic) said the NUCC was provoking Muslim anger by questioning the raid by the Selangor Islamic Department (Jais) at the Bible Society of Malaysia in Petaling Jaya, last week, which saw the confiscation of some 300 copies of the Bible's Bahasa Malaysia and Iban versions.
"When the NUCC questioned the Jais raid on the Bible Society of Malaysia last week, they were challenging the authority of the Malay rulers," he said.
Syed Hassan cast doubts on NUCC's credibility, saying the council was more interested in fighting for the rights of the minority than the majority.
"How can the rights of the majority be set aside to focus on the minority? If the NUCC is interested in talking about national unity, how can they question the authority of the Malay rulers?" he asked, referring to a statement by the Sultan of Selangor urging non-Muslims in the state not to use the word "Allah".
Jais's raid of the BSM office was reportedly carried out under the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.
Yesterday, NUCC called on Putrajaya to abide by the 10-point solution to the “Allah” row, and expressed regret over Jais's action.
Its chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said the council views Jais's raid last Thursday as a “blatant disregard” of the agreement.
Syed Hassan lamented that while the NUCC questioned Jais, it was mum on the statement by Catholic weekly Herald editor, Reverend Father Lawrence Andrew, who said churches in Selangor would continue using "Allah" in Bahasa Malaysia services.
"The NUCC does not represent the Islamic community in Malaysia nor are they qualified to comment on issues concerning the Islamic religion," added Syed Hassan.
He added that the council was not qualified to issue statements on matters concerning the Islamic religion because the majority of its members were non-Muslims and others "liberal in their religious beliefs", believed to be referring to Parit Buntar MP Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa and social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir.
"Perkasa has never acknowledged the NUCC from the beginning and rejects the council because the majority of its members are non-Muslims.
"Although there are Muslims in the NUCC but they are liberal-minded," Syed Hassan said.
Syed Hassan claimed these "liberals" supported and fought for the rights of lesbians, bi-sexuals, gays and transvestites (LGBT).
The NUCC was formed by Putrajaya to formulate policies towards strengthening national unity in Malaysia.
It has more than 30 members who include Mujahid, former deputy higher education minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation deputy chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The 'Allah' controversy returned to the limelight again following the Jais raid, which drew strong condemnation from opposition lawmakers and rights groups. - January 7, 2014.
