RENOWNED Muslim convert preacher Firdaus Wong Wai Hung has denied that Muslim converts like him are “sucking up to the Malays” or “not only failed to defend their own race but further criticise their own race”.
Addressing a query by pro-DAP influencer Thaqib Shaker who cynically claimed that “even as a Malay, he is able to defend non-Muslims”, the Multiracial Reverted Muslims (MRM) president claimed that “as a Chinese, I understand the Chinese more than Thaqib”.
“I don’t play a racist game if you truly understand the meaning of racism which is when one assumes that his own race is far more superior than other races,” justified Firdaus in response to the former special officer (media) to Machang MP and current Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
“So, where is the element of racism if as a Chinese I criticise the Chinese? Moreover, what I criticise are the few inappropriate attitude and behaviour … Beyond that, I also criticise the Muslims who are not Islamic. A fair and rational person will see that I criticise all for goodness’s sake.”
Firdaus, 41, who converted to Islam on Aug 10, 2005 further wondered if “Thaqib has to correct his perception between defending Islam and defending the Malays”.
“Muslims can comprise the Malays. Chinese, Indians, Kadazan or the Iban, hence defending the Malays is tantamount to defending the race but I also defend many Chinese Muslims, Indian Muslims (such as India-born Muslim preacher Zakir Naik) as well as Muslim politicians from whatsoever political affiliation so long as they talk the truth,” he argued.
“Therefore, to Thaqib and people who share a similar mindset like him, if I’m a Chinese who was born a non-Muslim and then embrace Islam can defend Islam and my fellow Muslims, why is he (Thaqib) who was born a Muslim dare not defend Islam and his fellow Muslims?”
Beyond that, Firdaus claimed that he is after all “defending is the Federal Constitution, the Malaysian law and the Rukun Negara (National Principles)”.
“It seems that Thaqib has also criticised (former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) former professor of ethnic studies) Prof Datuk Teo Kok Seong and I wish to ask him if he has ever read The Chinese Dilemma (book by China-born businessman Ye Lin-Sheng before he issued his comments?
“I’m very embarrassed if Thaqib who is a Malay, who confessed to being a Malaysian and who is able to defend DAP is critical of Prof Teo who is a Chinese but able to defend Bahasa Melayu and the (single stream) national education when he (Thaqib) should he defending Prof Teo.”
To another question if he is leveraging the social media and his large following (particularly from the Malay Muslim community) solely to raise fund for his NGO (the Multiracial Reverted Muslims), Firdaus countered:
“When DAP MPs lost a few legal suits and they embarked on crowdfunding exercise, is that OK for you but not so for people who run an NGO to fund their dakwah (preaching) exercise? If that’s the case, how then do you draw the standard or principle in DAP when only the party can solicit funding from its supporters or sympathisers (while others cannot do so)?”
As to the challenge by Thaqib that Muslim convert preachers should use their native tongue to preach, Firdaus replied:
“Dakwah is universal and knows no limitation (in terms of language barrier) … in MRM, we’ve a Chinese media monitoring team who is well-versed in Mandarin … I also have a Facebook page in Mandarin as well as numerous contacts.
“Above all else, as my two feet are stepping on the Malaysian soil, is it wrong for me to preach in Bahasa Melayu? After all, I also preach in English overseas as well as able to converse in Mandarin and various dialects like Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka etc.” – March 18, 2024
