LETTER | As a Malaysian, a Malay and most of all, a Muslim, I am most disturbed by incumbent Skudai assemblyperson Marina Ibrahim’s statement that she was spat on the face while campaigning in a Malay-majority area.

I assume that the one who spat was a Malay, and I am most shocked and deeply alarmed at such treatment not only to a young woman but to a person of the same race.

What would happen if that poor excuse for a Muslim or a Malaysian had spat on a woman of another race and religion?

I fully support Perikatan Nasional chief Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar in calling for a clean election in Johor, free from provocation and hate messaging.

In Islam, it is wrong and a great sin to treat any woman or any person who was simply asking for the opportunity to be of service to all people and faiths in an election campaign.

Sacred act of respect

I hold the supporters of certain parties and the leadership of those parties fully responsible in such cases of hate display and encouragement.

In Islam, the leaders of these parties, whether they shout that they are the champions of race and religion, will be accountable to God’s judgement.

In our nation, and in this world of life, we as Malaysians shall judge any incident of hate and provocation by any parties as unfit to rule this country.

Change in our country must start with each and every one of us by the simple and sacred act of respecting anyone and everyone who means to interact with us peacefully and harmoniously.

Let Bangsa Johor lead us into Bangsa Malaysia. My wife, son, daughter and I will be voting in Skudai on election day. We did not vote during Covid-19, but this time, we will.

The writer is a professor of Islamic architecture at UCSI University.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.