VOXPOP 'PAS leads the way in demonstrating how the Muslims and non-Muslims can live side by side by respecting each other's culture.'

PAS praised for respecting Chinese culture

Anonimous Z: I was told, and it was confirmed, that years ago, before 308 (March 8, 2008), that groups of Chinese from Kedah who toured Kelantan were treated by the local PAS members to a meal of ‘bak kut teh' at a famous Chinese restaurant.

The PAS members were seated at the same table and drank Chinese tea while accompanying and watching their Chinese guests eating pork. They even joked about getting the herbal recipe for them to cook with beef and eat at home.

This group of Chinese from Kedah also emphasised that in 2008, a sitting Kedah PAS exco member-cum-doctor was the first Muslim elected representative in recent history to visit the Nine Dragon Gods temple for a vegetarian dinner with members of the temple committee.

This never happened before, during the BN rule of Kedah. And since then, he has encouraged many other Muslim YBs from both the ruling and opposition parties to visit Chinese and Hindu temples.

Indeed, Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat used to visit the local temples and churches since many years ago.

FellowMalaysian: PAS leads the way in demonstrating how the Muslims and non-Muslims can live side by side by respecting each other's culture and traditions.

Unlike Umno and Perkasa, PAS showed and accorded due sensitivities to their neighbours who are of a different creed or faith and they do not run them down nor resort to scornful ways to ridicule their fellow countrymen when they are celebrating their festivals.

Dappy: I saw Umno trying to win over the Chinese by hanging red lanterns at their premises for the first time.

PAS, being the more sincere one, has won the hearts of the Chinese for genuinely respecting the Chinese culture and their rights.

Don'tLeaveName: Ask the Chinese Kelantanese for their opinion of PAS and it is all thumbs up. I was surprised and changed my perception of PAS as well.

Recently, a Chinese friend from Terengganu said he missed the time when PAS ruled the state. Being Chinese is not all about eating pork only. BTW (By the way), I am a vegetarian.

Ipoh2: Thank you PAS, for leading the way towards a harmonious Malaysia. For two of your leaders to stand in front of a pork stall while distributing ang pow speaks well of your party.

Swipenter: That is what a true united and plural Malaysia is like and should be - mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual love for one another.

How unlike Umno-BN, which is all about divide and rule and plundering the nation's wealth for themselves and their cronies.

Anonymous: It's indeed very touching to see the photos. This is truly 1Malaysia.

1Care scheme faces flak prior to launch

Quigonbond: Pakatan Rakyat should engage BN in a major debate over this far-reaching healthcare restructure. Being a layman, reading the article gives me a hanging feeling - there is no clear-cut right or wrong.

The campaigners on either side should make a better case. And I have so many questions:

For those who are poor - are they being subsidised by the middle class or only the rich?

Those in the middle class with existing insurance policies - will their healthcare be now subsumed by this new healthcare structure?

Is the 10 percent contribution mandatory? Does it apply to individuals or companies? Won't the 10 percent additional cost kill employment and entrepreneurship? What's the penalty when one refuses to pay the 10 percent contribution?

Vinod: The British National Health Service (NHS) model, while it has been highlighted by the British to be lacking in certain aspects, is still better than what we have here.

I can't recollect that the French healthcare system was voted to be among the best in Europe, but I think we can learn a lot from the Cubans.

Under the present conditions, healthcare is not cheap, unless it's a simple health problem such as a cold/fever/flu, etc. The moment it's anything more than that, the cost increases exorbitantly. Health insurance is also not cheap.

I dispute the fact that free services only make for poor services. It will only be so if the management of the system has a vested interest and lacks management skills.

Back in the old days, mission hospitals provided a great service at no cost or negligible cost. But when the government liberalised the healthcare sector, an exodus of brain from public service to the private sector was seen and to make matters worse, affirmative action policies eroded the services with the hiring of under-qualified staff.

If the attempt is a genuine attempt to provide healthcare to those who are economically challenged, then I'd support it because I believe that as a member of society, every individual must have equal access to healthcare and education.

3rdForce: Minus the money going to the inner circle, the 1Care scheme may not be a bad idea, but inputs from the relevant parties and the rakyat are crucial for its success.

Remember that the healthcare budget will keep on increasing and endanger other budgetary requirements. Further, we are all subsidising the care for two million non-tax-paying foreigners.

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