YOURSAY | Why should visa applications be farmed out to a private company?
Deputy minister: I was in the dark over non-bumis in Imams
Vijay47: It is inevitable that whenever the government is shown to have engaged in something short-sighted, unnecessary or even illegal, there would be a flood of backtracking, "correct explanations", and a deluge of "not me's".
This week's flavour appears to be related to a visa application process for those wishing to visit the Holy Land and the big sin here, despite the minister’s pious denial, seems to be that the company responsible for managing this system has a non-Muslim for COO (chief operating officer).
The first question which I will not delve into, is why the visa application should be farmed off to a company.
The next point is that visas themselves have no religious connotation, they are simply technical travel-related matters that even computers could facilitate without recourse to theological rituals.
So how does the presence of a non-Muslim COO contaminate the straightforward procedure of obtaining a visa?
Are we now to eagerly await the logical next step, that the entire umrah programme from transportation to the airports, the airports themselves, and the maintenance and manning of the flights should all be handled by Muslims lest the pilgrimage be made “unclean”, as PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang would say?
And all this from the folks who would assure us that hudud is Islam’s gift for all Malaysians.
Non-Evader: "In fact, a day before pitching (the umrah visa management system), I asked my officers again, are there non-bumiputeras in the company...
“To me, the resignation (of the non-Muslim COO) should not be taken into consideration because the damage has (already) been done," said Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, who was almost in tears.
Oh yes, a non-bumi working in this company is a sin of the highest order and a crime of the worst kind in the universe.
You can tell this by the way Mas Ermieyati said she did not know a non-bumi was working in the company and the way MCA Kuantan Youth chief Lee Chai Wah explained his "sinful" employment (as company secretary).
6th Generation Immigrant: Imams is not the real issue here - please see through the shenanigans. Slowly and surely, all non-Malays and non-Muslims will be regulated out of the entire Malaysian administration with such reasonings and arguments.
This proves there are different classes of citizenry in this country. The government should just come out and say it honestly and openly - Malaysia does not want non-Malays and non-Muslims in our country - period.
Turvy: What we are seeing here through the cracks of divided official views is the sinister logic of separatism and exclusion that has long been part of the code of practice of officials paid to rule this country.
That logic, and the evil practices it delivers, constantly show up beneath the vestments that are used to cover those deeds, like soiled undergarments.
Now this one weeps because no one told her that the code was not followed by someone obviously acting properly in discharge of his or her duties.
Determined Sarawakian: The question here is not about whether there are non-Muslims involved in the company. It's a question of integrity and who is profiteering from the system.
This sort of mindset is detrimental to the nation, irrespective of the national slogans and awareness education.
It's damaging enough that PKR discovered this and not ministerial officials.
Even Playing Field: I am dumbfounded. What is the big deal about having a non-Muslim in the company behind the Imams programme?
Isn't Malaysia a multi-racial and multi-religious country with people of all faiths and races happily living in harmony? Don't our leaders always boast about that to the outside world?
Headhunter: This is the state the country has descended. It's all about race, religion and special privileges.
Now you know why Sarawakians and Sabahans kept saying that they want to be kicked out of Malaysia like Singapore? To them, the future doesn't look too good.
Hank Marvin: This is the real Umno; manipulating the issue for their own gain. The Malays should wake up and vote Umno-BN out in GE14. Umno is just making use of anything Malay and Islam for their own self-interest as well as that of their cronies.
SusahKes: It’s PKR yang buat bising (that raised the issue). So, why blame Umno?
Jamil J: Indeed, PKR was the one which made a big fuss over this, so I guess if people vote for Pakatan Harapan, you will get the same type of government.
Anonymous_1375718869: What’s the real issue - the fee charged or non-bumis are “unclean”?
Gov't to replace Imams with '100pct Muslim mechanism'
Anonymous 278451459939581: Mas Ermieyati has implied that the Imams system was cancelled as it was found to be inefficient and a burden to pilgrims. It was also declared a "sensitive" issue.
Wow, this discovery within 24 hours. Such efficiency from the government.
The replacement mechanism will be 100 percent Muslim (implied as efficient, not a burden to the pilgrims and not sensitive).
Does she actually know what she is talking about and the racial implications and bigotry she is sprouting? Rakyat, please note and act accordingly in GE14.
Demi Rakyat: 100 percent Muslim? I really don' know what that means. You mean don't use the financial/banking system we have today? Don't use money, or debit or credit cards? Don't use bank transfer or e-channels?
Pemerhati Bebas: The real issue here is not about non-Muslims sitting on the board of Imams, but why the need to have an outside body to manage visas for umrah in the first place.
This is just another scheme to make easy money.
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