“If you are with them, everything is halal (permissible). If you are no longer be them, everything is haram (prohibitive).”
Such was the two-line comment rendered by DAP’s secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook over the fiery remarks by PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang on the eve of Syawal that unlike UMNO, “PAS cannot step foot into DAP’s kitchen because of the presence of ‘non-halal food’, not even if they change their ‘chef’ to a Muslim ‘chef’”.
Taking cognisance that Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a season of forgiveness. the Transport Minister and Seremban MP holds no hard feelings when he ‘gentlemanly’ wished Hadi, his family and his PAS fellow members as well as Malaysians at large “Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri” on his Facebook page.
While Loke took an apologetic stance, netizens were less impressed with what the cleric and Marang MP did at a time when the auspicious month of Ramadan was coming to an end.
In describing Hadi’s action as inappropriate, netizen Ramzan Bahamad commented on Loke’s post:
“Words that should not be said by people fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. As a Malay and Muslim, I feel very ashamed to have a religious scholar like this. For me food containing corruption must be avoided by all Malaysians.”
Nizam Sheriff took a swipe at Hadi by suggesting that he should give up politics “to be a full-time chef” while Tumas Nasir accused the Islamist party head honcho as the person responsible in destroying the unity of multi-racial and multi-religious Malaysia.
A few netizens led by Hashim Khan wonder how come PAS has no second thought “in entering the kitchen of its non-Muslim ally Gerakan”.
“How come it is halal when stepping into Gerakan’s kitchen, my dear spiritual leader,” asked the Hisham Khan while Zemi Rah added “not only entering but eating the food as well”.
However, Kamal Hafiz who is presumably a PN sympathiser took a swipe at DAP with his comment: “Before joining forces with UMNO, you used to call them ‘bandits’ but when UMNO is now by your side, you describe this as ‘unity’”.
Whatever said and done, Chun Yee Poh struck the chord with his observation: I remember growing up … my Malay neighbour came to our place for CNY (Chinese New Year) and we prepared/order halal food for them. We went to their place for Raya celebration. We hanged out on the same table at mamak (Indian Muslim restaurants). Now everything changes … races don’t mix anymore. So sad to see.” – April 22, 2023
