I have always been pleased with discourses and dialogues initiated by various organisations such as the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim), the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), Ikram Organisation of Malaysia (Ikram), Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM) and Projek Dialog (PD), to mention some of them.
The topics of discussions may be peaceful, harmonious and new but can be somewhat controversial and provocative to some. But one has to bear in mind that as Malaysians, living in a multi-racial and multi-religious nation, there is a need to take into account different ideologies and perspectives in order to understand different takes of parts of societies on certain issues.
Only by this mean will we be able to celebrate different opinions and minds hence producing a spirit of togetherness and harmonious living. Only with this spirit of togetherness can we fight injustice and discrimination in any form.
This spirit of dialogue is also stressed in Islam, quoting from Quran (49:13): “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”
This is why, to be more specific, I have always enjoy myself reading articles from Projek Dialog blog (projekdialog.com) as it offers me various perspective of issues; ranging from race-religious relationship to the spirit of fighting for the marginalised ones’ fate.
But recently, the administrator of Projek Dialog Facebook page had shared a cartoon drawn by artist Kris Wilson - depicting in a funny yet insensitive way - that it is okay to practice homosexuality if one is irreligious.
I am personally shocked by this manner! While I respect the personal belief and stance on lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) of the admin, I’d like to question why would Projek Dialog share that kind of funny rubbish? To the admin of Projek Dialog, don’t you realize that this kind of issue is that is sensitive; sensitive enough that you cannot make fun of it publicly?
Don’t you realise that by this provocative act, you’re just making more people to stay away from healthy dialogues? How would you invite people to discuss a taboo if you’re merely making fun of it?
If you’re going to promote a discussion especially on issues Malaysians are not familiar with, make it a discourse, not insensitively joking out of it! Projek Dialog instead has to take the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) as an example, to name one.
Although I personally do not necessarily agree with the pluralism discourse by Syazreen Abdullah, at least he discussed it professionally in his two-part articles without childishly joking out of it. This is the kind of spirit of discourse we should embrace.
Not the first time
To further state my disappointment, this is not the first time Projek Dialog has done things this provocative. Previously, it has posted a caricature depicting football athletes and the effect of hudud which is no less insensitive to the Muslims. Though it has retracted it from its Facebook page and posted an apology, this shows that the admin has no self-sensitivity filter before making decisions!
If this is what going on with Projek Dialog, PD is no better than Arus Baru; promoting hatred day by day and promoting controversial belief childishly.
Bear in mind, Projek Dialog; you are one of the endorsees of Negara-Ku. This kind of act would only smear dirt to the other endorsees that are fully sincere to heal Malaysia from daily tensions. You better heal yourself if you are sincere to promote dialogues.
WAN SALMAN WAN SALLAM is an activist of Ikram Siswa, the student wing of Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia (Ikram).