'Our lecturers should also not fail to mention the tribulations of Lina Joy, body snatching of the Hindu dead, the conversion of minors, the demolition of Orang Asli churches...'
Gov't ready to fly lecturers to US to allay Islamophobia
RubyStar: There will be more chaos and confusion if Islamic scholars from Malaysia are sent to the US to allay fears of Islamphobia.
The whole world knows how Umno is using Islam to further the stranglehold on the rakyat of Malaysia. There are excellent Islamic values, virtues, tolerance, compassion and understanding in other Muslim countries, but in Malaysia even the usage of ‘Allah' by Christians is being prohibited by law. Please stop making a fool of ourselves.
D Swami: While the lecturers are at it, they should not fail to mention the tribulations of Lina Joy in Malaysia, freedom of religion in Islam, body snatching of the Hindu dead, the conversion of minors, the demolition of Orang Asli churches, minorities treated as second-class citizens and the many other injustices inflicted on the minorities in Malaysia. That should take away their fear of Islam.
Kunta Kinte: Who cares what the Americans are phobic about, including Islamophobia. We have more phobias in this country and we should address them first - phobia about freedom of speech, phobia of being criticised, phobia of a Pakatan Rakyat government, the list goes on and on.
Orang Cina UK: Get your house in order before telling the US what Islam is. Islam in Malaysia supports discrimination based on race, believing in the domination of and suppression by Muslims over kafirs , disallowing the proliferation of Christianity, Hinduism and other faiths. It is a far cry from the Islam practised in Turkey, Bosnia or even by the Hui in China.
Many Muslims in Malaysia support racists like Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Ibrahim Ali and Dr Mohd Khir Toyo. I would not be surprised to know that Azahari Husin (Phd fom Reading University) and Noordin Mohd Top are admired by many Malays.
The US have more moderate and liberal Islamic scholars among their seven million Muslims than Malaysia. They come from various backgrounds (blacks, whites, Hispanics and Asians) and speak perfect English.
Sending top Malay ulama who speak poor English, with limited understanding of Islam in the US will only insult Americans and deepen Islamophobia.
Anonymous: The money that this minister would happily spend sending lecturers to the US, would be better spent educating our teachers and heads of schools on how to behave in a respectful and responsible way when carrying out their duties so as not to bring bad publicity to the country.
Jack Leong: I think we are the only nation where people do not speak the national language proudly. We can even be ashamed of speaking in BM with fellow Malaysians for fear that the other person will remind us again and again why we don't speak in our mother tongues.
Ian2003: Very impressive. True, it's a shame that many Malaysians cannot speak Malay. But then again, it's not too bad as there is no Malaysian language, only the Malay language, as the Malays seem to refuse to elevate their language to ‘Bahasa Malaysia' and instead insisting that it should be known as ‘Bahasa Melayu'.
Croniq: Well said, Helen Ang. DAP is shameless, clumsy and devoid of all sincerity or integrity in pandering to Malay Muslims in their desperate effort to impress them only for political gain. Sadly, this is being done at the expense of minorities who really need political leverage. Put your flak jacket on, Helen. Here come the comments from the blind DAP (supporters)...
Hello: What is wrong with DAP attempting to bridge the divide between it and the Malay community? I believe that DAP realises that its survival is at risk if it doesn't broaden its base by attracting the Malays to join. Thus, it has to make the attempt to show some empathy towards the Malay culture. I wonder why this animosity from this writer vis-a-vis the DAP.
Geronimo: Helen Ang, the DAP, as I see it, is in a Catch-22 situation - damned if you do and damned if you don't. When Teo Nie Ching did not cover her head, at least with a selandang , she was roasted to no end by the likes of Perkasa and the rightist groups in Umno. When she finally decided to do the right thing by wearing the selandang , we have you crucifying her that she and her party are going overboard pandering to the Malays.
If that is the case, aren't you doing the same thing by going overboard pandering to the Malays by criticising the DAP and their approaches with the Malay community as well as your ability to quote Malay proverbs and how the Malay vocabulary are in line with Arabic words? You even went so far to talk about the Malay soul, and all Teo did was to wear a selandang, whose action is pale in comparison with the tone of your article.
Lim Guan Eng sacrificed everything for a Malay girl who was raped. I guess to you that doesn't count? Or does it?
Rapper unfazed as sedition charge looms
Albert: Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, the Umno Puteri chief said: "We regret that whenever the Malays talk about their rights, they are described as racist but at the same time the non-Malays are free to say anything."
Frankly, Rosnah is totally ignorant and blind to the realities that are happening in the country. Or is it a deliberate attempt to fool the rakyat with her twisting and turning? Can she honestly answer why actions (not talk only) are immediately taken by the police on the non-Malays (e.g. Namewee) as compared with the Malays (e.g. the two school principals)?
And even school children (especially brilliant SPM students) know that when Malays talk about their rights, it involves the erosion of the rights of the non-Malays (read: implementation of ‘reasonable proportion' of Article 153). To any right-thinking and sane individual, any religion that subscribes to the principle of fair play, it is an issue to the non-Malays. But does Rosnah care?
Anonymous: Rosnah, where's the tough response to the Malay headmistress who actually did say extremely ignorant racist remarks? Since when have non-Malays been free to say anything?
PKR polls fracas lead 7 divisions to call off voting
Anonymous: Oh well, that was good while it lasted. Democracy needs more than just knowing how to make a mark on a ballot paper. It needs a democratic spirit behind it. Goodbye PKR! Goodbye Putrajaya!
Anonymous2: Why are the guys fighting? The leadership must do something fast as it is not healthy. Suspend or sack these people from the party. In Kota Raja, the loser S Kottappan should accept his defeat and not cause trouble by trying to destroy the ballot box. PKR leadership should be more stern in order for the members to be disciplined.
Acoward: Nominate Azmin Ali, but vote for any other contestant other than him. Azmin does not qualify for the deputy post because he is a crony politician without team spirit.
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