Non-Muslim students quizzed on Islamic issues
Headhunter: Why is everyone so surprised still? Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing of all people should know as he is the senior minister in the government.
The Chinese has been the victims of this policy for decades and BN partners like SUPP and MCA didn't do anything. They are now paying for their indifference.
Now it is the Dayaks’ and non-Muslim natives’ turn. This is the Dr Mahathir Mohamad policy of using race and religion so that the Umnoputras can go on stealing by using such policy to gain the support of the Malays.
They know the Chinese and Indians will not be able to say much without being accused of bullying the Malays, unpatriotic, greedy, etc, but the Malays are the ones who can reject Umno.
And Umno knows it and is afraid of losing Malay support. Institutions like Mara, although fully funded by taxpayers, are being used by Umno to hold on to Malay support.
Gerard Lourdesamy: Is this the fairness that Mahathir and Home Minister Ahmad Zaid Hamidi are defending in light of the criticism from US President Barack Obama?
Mara is for all bumiputera or is it only for Malays and Muslim bumiputera? The non-Muslim bumiputera have become second-class bumiputera contrary to Article 153 in the Federal Constitution.
What has the Islamic religion got to do with applying for a scholarship to study engineering? Mara should be rudely reminded that in Sarawak, Christians form 60% of the population and Islam is not the official religion in the state.
The Sarawak natives are even entitled to have a Christian as governor or chief minister but this has been thwarted by Kuala Lumpur with the help of the PBB. Next time, just vote Pakatan Rakyat to protect state rights.
Debater: The Ibans and the Dayaks have been in Malaysia long before Islam and long before Malays. Are they second-class bumis?
Wira: It looks like proselytising to Islam is happening at all levels governmental policy while unsubstantiated accusations are hurled against the others for activities falsely linked to converting Muslims to Christianity.
Anonymous_1395411723: They deserve what they get for voting BN. Anyway why are Muslims being asked about religion?
Aren't scholarships to be given to the financially needy and not because they are religious? The whole system has been debased by such rubbish.
Swipenter: My Malay friends had told me some time ago that even Muslim recruits for the police force were asked to perform Muslim prayers during the interview to test their religious knowledge. At that time, I just brushed it off as being ridiculous but not anymore.
Peacemaker: Isn't the Sarawak voters affectionately called BN's fixed deposit, meaning their votes sure to be for BN.
For your blind loyalty, you have been rewarded with blatant religious discrimination within Mara. I hope you open your eyes. BN is Muslim and all others in that boat are mere passengers.
Milosevic: The tools of group exclusion keep shifting. While pretending that Malaysia is in principle tolerant and fair (and anger sets in when the obvious lie is called out, for example, by Obama) the actual process of discrimination continues unabated although in new forms.
Initially the Malay language was used to weed out Chinese, Indians, and other minorities. When they mastered the language, new tools were used.
There was the myth that Malays were poor and the others rich, leading to scholarships given liberally to the richest segments of Malay society and some token benefits to the less well-endowed Malays.
As the reality hit that many non-Malays were also struggling to give their children a decent education, the simple employment of the Malay poor-Chinese rich dichotomy became ridiculous.
So now the principle of exclusion is religion. Here it is harder to be half-Buddhist, half-Muslim, so the racists have found a most clever way to exclude non-Malays while pretending they are being fair.
Cry, My Beloved Country: Having taken control of all institutions of governance the arrogant demigods do not care two hoots because they are not accountable for their deeds.
Interviews have been known to be occasions for uncalled for remarks. I was once reprimanded for not wearing a tie and a coat, and this pompous interviewer asked, "Would you wear a tie and a coat if the governor had invited you to a garden party? Is this interview board not good enough for you to be in a tie and a coat?"
When I replied that I did not know I was going to meet the governor at the interview, I was summarily dismissed without further questions. Of course, I flunked.
Anonymous_1397678952: This gets worse and worse. And we want hudud! It appears as if non-Muslims are absolutely unrepresented in government and they have no say in how things are done.
Why should Islamic knowledge be relevant in a decision as to whether or not to award a particular person a scholarship? Especially if he is a non-Muslim?
These acts are consistent with the earlier allegations that money is being offered for conversion. I accept that Muslims believe that theirs is the one true religion. At the same time, Muslims must also accept that others may feel the same way about their beliefs.
It is wrong in principle to attempt to force one's beliefs on others. It is wrong also to use state funds to try achieve the same purpose.
Oriole: Whether Muslims or non-Muslims, the objective of the panel is to decide the best candidate based on academic merit.
The candidate's religious knowledge is not the panel's business. Any panellist caught questioning such issues should be thrown out for poking his nose into what is not his business.
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