It is merely 800 meters, the distance from the 200-year-old St George’s Anglican Church on Farquhar Street to the 19th Century Malay Acheen Street Mosque on Acheen Street, Penang.

But people of different creed and colours put aside their differences yesterday and participated in a historic interfaith solidarity walk with their religious leaders along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling.

Formerly known as Pitt Street, the stretch is now colloquially dubbed “Street of Harmony”, which is smack in the centre of George Town’s Unesco World Heritage zone.

The participants' destination was to reach the Malay Acheen Street mosque in time for the breaking of fast with the Muslim community, led by Imam Muneer Farid Al-Hafiz.

Accompanying the group was Penang Catholic bishop Sebastian Francis, northern peninsula Anglican bishop Charles Samuel, Aliran president Prema Devaraj and renowned veteran activist Anwar Fazal.

Also present were Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa, who mooted the idea of breaking fast with non-Muslims in Penang, along with his volunteer security corps Arif, who controlled traffic along the busy street during the event.

Mujahid’s move is to counter certain quarters who had tried to stop Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng from breaking fast with Muslims, and to restore peace after the latter’s aide, retired RMAF pilot Zaidi Ahmad, was slapped by a protestor during an anti-DAP rally outside a mosque in Komtar on May 26.

'Amazing experience'

Along the walk, the 60-odd participants, including eight students from a university in Melbourne, Australia, explored and experienced the five prominent religious sites, stopping to listen to Anwar, who passionately shared the history of the various sites.

Many of the participants said they now see these sites, starting from Church of St George the Martyr, Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) Temple, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Kapitan Keling Mosque to the Malay Acheen Street Mosque, in a different light, one of understanding and appreciation.

“I feel so touched to see these different religious leaders coming together to talk about our shared histories.

"I feel so happy meeting new friends from different faiths and ethnic groups; this is how Malaysia is,” said one participant, Christine Anne Karl.

Student Kewry Toumbourou, who is in Penang for three weeks for a study tour, said he has never participated in such an event before, describing it as “an amazing experience”.

“It has changed my perspective, too. We have so much diversity, which we never really get to see. I truly appreciate us coming together and celebrating our diversity like this”.

During the 30-minute walk, Anwar pointed out shared elements like water, light, the moon, flora and fauna, which all faiths share, love and preserve, saying, “This is a new way of thinking about one another.”

Anwar, who has founded several NGOs in Penang, is the chairperson of the Taiping Peace Initiative and the Malaysian Interfaith Network.

Volunteers from community-based arts and culture education group Arts-ED Penang, led by coordinator Chen Yoke Pin, distributed colourful pamphlets, a collaborative effort with Think City titled 'Journey of Harmony: A Self-Discovery Walking Tour' to the participants.

Welcome gesture

When they arrived at the Malay Acheen Street Mosque, Muneer warmly greeted the group and took them for a tour inside.

He showed them a 210-year-old podium where imams used to preach to the congregation, similar to the one used by the Prophet, and a 200-year-old well, built by the Acehnese Muslim community.

Women were allowed to enter the mosque without a headscarf, and many were grateful for the mosque committee’s gesture and tolerance.

Addressing the crowd in the Malay Acheen Street Mosque, Mujahid said the group comprising different faiths have gathered “in the midst of a troubled world, with the rise of bigotry and xenophobic tensions and extremism, locally and internationally”.

He said the gathering is a showcase of unity and strength, which defies the growing radicalism of faith and race.

“It may be a small gathering, but we know very well, this actually represents the hope of our multiracial and multi-religious society, which has been embedded in the Malaysian social fabric since she was born (in 1957),” said the Parti Amanah Negara vice-president.

“I am not calling for various faiths to abandon their doctrines and theological principles in the name of pluralism because if you do that, there will be no meaning to the creed that distinguishes one belief from another,” added Mujahid, who is the chairperson of the Acheen Street Mosque.

“I believe creed or aqidah is a space that should be an exclusive and private compound of each faith, which we should all respect.”

Words put into action

Bishop Francis meanwhile said part of one’s obedience to God is to have passion for all God’s people and all creation, saying this will bring peace upon all.

Bishop Samuel said, “How good it is when God’s people live together in harmony and peace. This (event) is words put into action.

“By walking we learn, by learning, we demonstrate the love that God has created.

"One thing we must remember, God created all of us in his image; we are special, we reflect God in this world, every action reflects God’s message,” he said, thanking the organisers for encouraging such events.

“We may be very close to each other, but we have yet to learn how to work together. In the coming days, I hope we have more of this (such initiatives) to develop a sense of brotherhood, identity, and oneness.”

At the end of the event, Anwar, who was conferred the Right Livelihood Award for his work in promoting and protecting public interests in 1982, shared a poem, which has been put into a song.

“We all drink from one water, one tap, rise from one portion and live under one sky.

"The cry of a newborn baby is the same, the laughter of children is universal, everyone’s blood is red and our hearts sing the same song.

"Remember, we are all brothers and sisters with one family and one God, together we must live, otherwise, together we will die, peace be upon you.”