Hadi should substantiate or retract his allegation that DAP is promoting Islamophobia as the 428-page 14th OIC Report on Islamophobia in the world, covering the 14 months from Dec 2020–Jan 2022 made no mention whatsoever to any Islamophobia in Malaysia
The PAS President—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, covering the 14 months from Dec 2020 to January 2022 made no mention whatsoever to any Islamophobia in Malaysia.
The OIC report on Islamophobia is published by the OIC Islamophobia Observatory, a specialised Unit, or Centre, currently operating under the supervision of the Political Affairs Department at the OIC General Secretariat.
The Observatory has been functioning for 15 years, started in 2007, and has published reports of Islamophobia in the world.
Its establishment was driven by three main factors:
- the massive wave of anti-Islam sentiments in the West after 9/11
- the growing trend of Islamophobia that seeks to defame and denigrate Islam through distortion and misperception, and
- the introduction of laws in some non-Islamic countries that specifically discriminate or target Muslim minorities.
The OIC Islamophobia Observatory monitors manifestations of Islamophobia on daily basis, reading the trend, and drawing maps on how the situation related to Islamophobia develops from time to time,
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
The four great religions and civilisations which are the legacies of plural Malaysians teach their followers to distinguish between right from wrong, truth from lies, which are particularly relevant in the information and social media era where information travels at the speed of light, and the great challenge of the times is not to succumb to the toxicity of lies, falsehoods, and fake news — whether of race or religion.
DAP leaders are prepared to be challenged to substantiate their allegations. 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 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, even if the Malay-Muslim leadership is cruel, Malay-Muslims can be cow-herders at least, but under other people’s. Malay-Muslims become pig-herders.
But this is not the choice before Malaysians, whether Muslim or non-Muslim — whether in the 15GE or future general elections…
Malaysians, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, do not want to be cow-herders or pig-herders.
As proclaimed in the Rukun Negara, Malaysians whether Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban or Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Christians do not want to be cattle-herders or pig-herders but want a first-rate world-class Malaysia which could achieve a more perfect unity amongst the whole of the nation; preserve a democratic way of life; create a just society where the prosperity of the country can be enjoyed together in a fair and equitable manner; guarantee a liberal approach towards our traditional heritage that is rich and diverse and build a progressive society that will make use of science and modern technology.
They set out the five nation-building principles to achieve the five goals of Rukun Negara:
- BELIEF IN GOD
- LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
- SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION
- RULE OF LAW
- COURTESY AND MORALITY
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.
For six decades, we have been losing Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman’s vision to be “a beacon of light in a difficult and distracted world” and become part of the growing global darkness by losing out to one country after another.
Can we stop the national decline of six decades, unite all Malaysians of different races, languages, faiths, and cultures to reset the nation-building process, and instead of becoming a third-class, failed, divided and kleptocratic state on Malaysia’s Centennial, regain our place in the international society as a first-rate world-class nation in various fields of human endeavour?
This is the challenge of the Anwar Ibrahim government!
Anwar Ibrahim needs all help and all good men and women of Malaysia should stand ready to help make Malaysia great again!