Fostering better inter-faith understanding

Inter-Faith Council for greater unity

I refer to “Goodwill body to be set up” (Star,April 9)

It was very encouraging that Penang will set up an inter-religious goodwill council similar to the inter-faith council proposed earlier at the federal level.Penang’s Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng must be commended for initiating the establishment of the council that will go a long way to resolve the bitter experiences of numerous inter-faith conflicts in recent years.

We were pleasantly surprised at the supportive attitude of PAS president,Datuk Seri Abdul Awang Hadi, reiterated that such a council will pave the way for the promotion of fairness among all races and creed. Furthermore it would also ensure that religious and racial issues are not exploited by any groups for political mileage. In fact the recent goodwill gestures shown by PAS representatives, in visiting churches and temples, have helped to reassure and gain them the respect of the non-Muslims.

The different religions may differ in the rituals they adopt in their worship but they are all similar in their aims – to instill good human and moral values to their members. Their differences are just in form not in substance. In fact all religions have more similarities than differences. It was unfortunate that all these years, only the differences among the religions were emphasized which led to the increasing inter-religious tension among the people.

Disputes due to misunderstanding will undoubtedly arise from time to time especially in a country with diverse religions and cultures. These conflicts can only be overcome amicably by the willingness by all parties to dialogue in a civil manner and never by threats and confrontation. History has shown that the latter only results in violence and bloodshed which are the last things the founders of the various religions would want have wanted.

All religions teach their followers to love fellow humans. It is important for us to reflect to see whether we are truly following these teachings of our respective religions. Fairness, respect for human rights, fight against oppression, corruption and ethnic equality are propagated by all religions, so are virtues like humility, charity and compassion. Why shouldn’t these be common platforms for people of all races to unite?

The voting pattern in the recently concluded polls has shown that Malaysians have risen above racial and religious divide which is unprecedented in the history of our nation. They have shown that they are ready for greater cooperation and integration among the races and it is the onus of the politicians to fulfill their dreams for a more racially united and harmonious Malaysia.

The establishment of the Penang inter-religious goodwill council would be a good start in that direction. It would also be more appropriate and timely for the government to review the stalled Inter-Faith Council at the national level in the wake of the people’s verdict in the recent polls. It should be one of the top priorities in the reforms being considered by the BN government.

Dr.Chris Anthony

Judicial revamp urgent !!!

Raja Nazrin calls for 'judicial renaissance'

Raja Nazrin is very right in calling for "judicial renaissance".Total revamp of the institution is needed very urgently.The BN government should stop their internal squabbles for power immediately and get onto to carrying out the much needed reforms without any further delay.

It is already more than a month after the polls and the country seems to be in a standstill.Who is leading the country,Pak Lah or Dr.M?

If Pak Lah wants to stay on he must start cracking fast otherwise the government in waiting will take over very soon.The people want action and that has to be fast.

Dr.Chris Anthony

Islamic state not on Pakatan agenda

PAS vice president's reassurance is most welcome,Husam: Islamic state not on Pakatan agenda

The greatest surprise at recent elections was the total change in the attitude of PAS.It has completely changed from a ultra Islamic to a more tolerant non-Muslim -friendly party.

It is willing to accept all races as equal and allows freedom of worship to all religions.Its members have entered mosques and temples to meet people of other religions.There was no qualms whatsoever in those actions which we never would have expected from Umno members.

i think their actions are sincere and genuine and we need to trust them for any lasting relationship with them.Such a trust is utmost if we need to built a strong and united Malaysia.

Dr.Chris Anthony

Defections: Why Pakatan should wait

Pakatan should be different from BN

People in general have voted Pakatan for their ideals that are different from those of BN.
If Pakatan wants to establish its rule by adopting crossovers from BN,it would be betraying the trust of the voters.It would be no different from the BN which thrived on such immoral practices.

Instead the state governments under Pakatan and its elected representatives must prove their worth by trying to bring the changes they promised.The people must see these changes taking shape.The initial stages appear be quite encouraging but the real tests for the Pakatan have yet to come.Will it withstand the the trials and tribulations that it is going to encounter in the coming weeks and months?We are anxiously watching and we hope the members of Pakatan will not let us down.

Dr.Chris anthony


Defections: Why Pakatan should wait

Ong Kian Ming and Oon Yeoh Malaysiakini,Apr 7, 08 10:44am

comment With the uncertainty within Umno increasing by the day, speculation is rife that the de facto leader of the newly-formed Pakatan Rakyat, Anwar Ibrahim, is ready to pounce and entice a sufficient number of BN MPs to allow the Pakatan to form a new government.

While such a development might be welcomed by those who have been longing for the BN to finally lose power, such haste is not a wise move for a variety of reasons.

Asking BN MPs to cross over to Pakatan sets a bad precedent for democratic accountability in Malaysia. Voters in Malaysia, by and large, vote for the party rather than the candidate and it is highly unlikely that they would approve of their candidate switching camps after being voted into office.

To the BN’s credit, it did not ‘incentivize’ any PAS assemblymen from the state of Kelantan even after PAS’ majority in the state assembly was decreased to just one following BN’s capture of Pengkalan Pasir in a by-election in 2005. This, despite the fact that taking back Kelantan was an important goal for the BN.

More recently, it was speculated that some Opposition state assembly representatives in Perak would be approached to switch camps after the Opposition won the state by a thin majority. As it turned out, the DAP-PKR-PAS alliance was allowed to form the government in that state.

Some may argue that in both Kelantan and Perak, nothing happened because the BN was simply unsuccessful in enticing the opposition politicians to cross over. There’s no way of knowing whether this is indeed the case, but the fact is the phenomenon of party hopping has not happened. It has not been a feature of politics in Malaysia for some time now and that’s a good thing.

Seducing politicians to party-hop now would be reminiscent of what the BN shamelessly did in Sabah after the PBS won a two-seat majority in the 1994 Sabah state elections. This was a time when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the prime minister and Anwar was his deputy.

Don’t use BN’s dirty tactics

A mass migration of 30 or more BN MPs today would mean Pakatan could no longer maintain the moral high ground as it would be guilty of employing the dirty tactics used by BN during the Mahathir years. It would also spark a vicious cycle, encouraging the BN to employ similar tactics in the future.

It’s also important to also ask: Exactly what kind of MPs would you be attracting? The progressives? The liberals? The reformists?

The ones who switch over now would not be doing so because of idealism or because they suddenly have a change of heart over issues like the ISA (Internal Security Act), press freedom, the NEP (New Economic Policy) and so on. They would be doing so because of what they can squeeze out of Pakatan, for example, a cabinet position in a new government.

How would this be received by the rank and file within the Pakatan parties? And how would the voters perceive these former BN crossovers being elevated to senior positions within the new government?

Lastly, party-hopping would go against the grain of an earlier desire expressed by the DAP to introduce an anti-hopping law. PAS has also indicated that it would support such a law. Indeed, it is in the interest of all political parties in Malaysia to introduce a change in the electoral law which calls for a by-election if an elected representative decides to change his or her political allegiance.

It would be much wiser for the Pakatan to concentrate on governing the five states which it currently controls and to show voters that it can govern at the state level effectively. It would give DAP and PKR a chance to gain some experience at governing, even if it is only at the state level. This experience is something which currently only PAS has got.

By playing the role of a loyal opposition, at least for now, Pakatan can find its feet and learn what it is like to work as a united team through the formation of a shadow cabinet, for example. By showing that they can indeed work together as a coalition, it will only increase the voter’s confidence that Pakatan is a government-in-waiting rather than a temporary opposition alliance of convenience.


ONG KIAN MING is a PhD candidate in political science at Duke University and OON YEOH is a writer and new media analyst. You can listen to both of them discuss this topic in their Realpolitik podcast (www.webmobtv.com)

Parliament live telecast a right move

An opportunity for people to gauge their MPs

I refer to “MPs to be live on TV for 30mins” (Star,April 4)

It is interesting to note that Malaysians are in for very exciting times ahead. Thanks to the new Information Minister, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek. It may be one of the reforms that the government is introducing as a response to the people’s verdict in the recent elections.

These new changes are live telecast of parliament sessions and the interview session similar to the BBC’s ‘Hard Talk’. I am sure these changes would be welcome by all Malaysians who are increasingly demanding for more openness and freedom of expression.

Although limiting the live telecast to cover the question-and-answer session alone for 30 minutes may not be adequate and far from ideal, nevertheless it is a good start. It should ultimately cover the whole session of the parliament as practiced in many developed countries. In fact not only parliament but the state assemblies too should seriously consider going live. It is also encouraging that the minister says these proceedings will not be censured. The recent elections have shown that the people are generally mature enough to adopt these live proceedings without any untoward effects.

Uncensored live telecast of parliament sessions will go a long way to ensure our legislators are kept on their toes. It will ensure they do their homework and go prepared to participate in the proceedings. Furthermore the rate of absenteeism among parliamentarians too will be drastically reduced. The people will have the opportunity to have a first-hand knowledge to gauge the performance of their representatives in the august house which is the highest legislative body in the country.Re-election of the wakil rakyats will to a great deal depend on their performance in parliament.

The live interview program that is being considered should not only be restricted to bloggers but also to others involved in the various governmental and non-governmental agencies as well. Politicians both from the ruling and opposition parties should also be given the opportunity. It is particularly important to include those who are critical if the government as their input would be of tremendous help to the administration.

If these “Hard-Talk’ sessions are conducted fairly and professionally, I am certain it would be well received by all parties. The vast majority of Malaysians are mature enough to understand and refrain from issues that are sensitive to certain groups or communities in our country. I am sure most Malaysians are responsible enough to express themselves in a very civil and polite manner.

One of the main causes of the BN’s dismal performance in the recent polls was its monopoly of the media, both print and electronic. The media failed to highlight the real situation on the ground and the plight of the masses. It went on to over-glorify the ruling party for its ‘successes’ giving its leaders a false sense of confidence that all is well. The media must play its rightful role to portray the true picture on the ground which would act as a feedback to the government.

It is time to forget the repressive attitude of the past government on freedom of expression and move forward into an era of openness and dialogue. Unless the government readily provides the means for the people to express their opinion freely without fear, it will not be able to appreciate their problems, let alone trying to overcome them.

Dr.Chris Anthony

Dismantling race politics

It is time for multiracial politics

It was distressing that Buntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam, threatened to resign from his party alleging that the DAP did not fulfill its promise of appointing two Indian assemblymen as a Perak state executive council (Exco) member. He may have his reasons for doing so, it may be a way to express his anxieties but such attitudes do not augur well for the tripartite coalition that wowed to dismantle racial politics in the country.

One of the main reasons for the opposition’s victory in the recent elections was the multiracial approach it advocated. The people at large wanted such an approach in contrast to the communal politics that they were used to all these years.

Being a member of the coalition that came to power on a multiracial platform, it was wrong of Sivasubramaniam to threaten to resign as only one Indian was appointed to the Exco.One of the ideals of multiracial politics is to do away with the practice that only leaders of a particular race can represent his community effectively.

On the contrary any Malaysian regardless of his race should be equally capable of representing the interests of any other community if he really wants to and that is what we as Malaysians must strive to achieve. That is the greatest challenge facing us today – are we prepared to accept each other from different ethnicity as fellow Malaysians?

After being used to politics along communal lines, it may not be easy for us to change our mindset overnight to adopt the new political realities. It will not only take time and effort but above all goodwill and compromise by all communities. Things may appear to be unfavorable to a particular community in the beginning but with perseverance and leaders committed to perpetrate unity, the ultimate result will be a win-win situation for all.

In keeping with the demands of the people, it is also timely for the BN to reconsider its style of communal politics and opt for a broader multiracial approach. People and governments all over the world are saying no to racism, what are we waiting for?

Dr.Chris Anthony

Pakatan Rakyat - dawn for a new era

Pakatan Rakyat : paving the way for two-party system

It’s another milestone in the history of the nation – the formation of Pakatan Rakyat which paves the way for the formation of a two-party political system for the country. Malaysians in general, regardless of ethnicity, welcome this move by the leaders of by PKR,DAP and PAS. It augurs well for the future of the nation as it would provide a check and balance for the party in power.

The leaders of the various parties Lim Kit Siang,Abdul Hadi Awang and Wan Azizah under the guidance of Anwar Ibrahim have taken the first small step that will ultimately lead the nation to greater heights to become a truly united Malaysia, equal to other first world countries. It shows that these leaders with their wisdom and experience have finally put aside their ideological differences to fulfill wishes of the rakyat, who have overwhelmingly voted for change and unity.

Nobody should be allowed to sabotage this agreement for mutual understanding by their narrowed-mindedness and skewed political motives which used to be the practices of the past. The demand for unity among the various races should be cherished by all, particularly politicians. Why should only leaders of a particular race represent the plight of their own community? The problem of a particular community should be considered a national problem and should be tackled as such. It is time to forgo the communal politics of the past and enter into an era of multiracialism where every citizen is equal.

After 50 years of communal politics, it may not be easy for us to change our mindset overnight to adopt the new political realities. The wounds of hate and suspicion will take time to heal, may be even not in our lifetime, but it will in the long run, as long as we do not allow anybody to sabotage the efforts we initiate today. It will not only take time and effort but above all goodwill and compromise by all communities. Things may appear to be unfavorable to a particular community now but with perseverance and leaders committed to perpetrate unity, the ultimate result will be a win-win situation for all.

While things appear to be going right for the Opposition, at least for the moment, the BN is still trying to grapple with its so-called defeat at the recent elections. The BN might have lost significantly, but it is still in power at the federal level and in seven states. It still has the mandate of the people to rule and this it must do with greater care,humilty and wisdom.

It should stop its infighting for posts and start making amends to the damages done. Instead of fighting to change its party leadership, Umno should instead initiate changes demanded by the people. Meanwhile it should allow the democratic process to take its course in the election of its leaders, in the coming party general assembly.

Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan should stop blaming each other, for their worst ever outing in the recent elections but together find ways and means to remain relevant to the younger generation of Malaysians, who are more literate. Umno should remember that being the dominant partner in the BN it is morally duty-bound to lead the coalition to embrace changes for the better of not just itself alone but for all its partners.

In keeping with the demands of the people, the BN should reconsider its style of communal politics and opt for a broader multiracial approach. People and governments all over the world are saying no to racism, what are we waiting for?

Dr.Chris Anthony