Kit Siang challenges Hadi to lay to rest Islamophobia claim once and for all

PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang should substantiate or retract his allegation that DAP is promoting Islamophobia as the 428-page 14th Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) report on Islamophobia in the world for the 14-month period from December 2020 to January 2022 made no mention whatsoever of any Islamophobia in Malaysia.

The OIC report on Islamophobia is published by the OIC Islamophobia Observatory, a specialised Unit currently operating under the supervision of the Political Affairs Department at the OIC General Secretariat.

The Observatory has been functioning for15 years since 2007 and has published reports of Islamophobia in the world.

Lim Kit Siang (Pic credit: Astro Awani)

Islamophobia is an issue of great concern not only for the Muslim world – but for humanity – for unless the great religions and civilisations can learn to live in peace, harmony and co-operation with each other, there will be no peace and harmony in the world.

Therefore, DAP leaders are prepared to be challenged to substantiate allegations by PAS that the party is propagating Islamophobia. Are PAS leaders prepared to substantiate their allegations or are they humble enough to retract allegations which they cannot substantiate?

In the 15th General Election (GE15) campaign, Hadi asked Malay-Muslims to understand the nature of politics, and to choose between Muslim and non-Muslim rule.

Using the analogy of herding, Hadi asked if Malay-Muslims in the country “would rather be cow herders or pig herders”.

He referred to the fall of Islamic power in Spain in the 1400s, claiming that even under a cruel Islamic rule, Muslims – at the very least – will be cow herders compared to what they would be under the rule of “others”.

He said that if the Malay-Muslims are patient with each other – an even if the Malay-Muslim leadership is cruel – Malay-Muslims can be cow-herders at least, but under other people’s rule, they will become pig-herders.

But this is not the choice before Malaysians whether Muslim or non-Muslim – whether in the GE15 or future general elections.

Hadi wants Malaysians to choose between cattle-herders or pig-herders, but Malaysians want to go beyond such a 14th century vision and reach for the stars to become one of the top nations in the world.

Malaysians need a mental revolution. – Dec 7, 2022

 

Retired DAP supremo and veteran lawmaker Lim Kit Siang was the former Iskandar Puteri MP.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.

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