‘Perpaduan’ at its best, when politics are absent

MUCH is being made of the “#Solidarity4peace” rally that was held in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

If it was meant to usher in a new era of race relations, well and good. In which case, from now on we should see the spontaneous mixing of people of different races and religions without any organisers behind them. And anyone making derogatory statements about such mingling should be immediately taken in for some tough counselling.

Yesterday morning I experienced perpaduan (unity) at its best at a Hindu wedding ceremony in a temple. There were a couple dozen Muslims, including several ladies with head-covers, present at the temple. They were right inside where the ceremony was going on and they didn’ t show any“sensitivities” or throw any tantrums for not being given special treatment.

The ladies even posed in front of altars with deities and took pictures.

I’m sure they didn’t lose even a tiny bit of their Islamic self and neither were they drawn to change their beliefs.

I must say it was the most beautiful perpaduan I have seen in recent times. Perhaps this could only happen because the occasion was in Penang.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof, Jakim (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia), Jais (Selangor Islamic Religious Department) and other religious bodies and the state muftis should learn a lesson from this. Having rallies is no use if they do not result in people changing their views of others of other faiths and in everyone mixing with “others”.

Mujahid would do well to put his perpaduan plan into practical action and lead the way as an example for the general public, particularly the bigots.

He should spontaneously, together with his officers and those from Jakim, etc, drop in at churches, Hindu temples, Chinese temples and other prayer houses to say “hello” to the people gathered there and create bridges between them and those different from them.

There is no need to bring any material gifts. All that is required is your mere presence, smiling faces and polite words. It is these that go a very, very long way towards creating genuine perpaduan.

Similarly, non-Muslims should be welcomed at occasions and functions that Muslims hold in their normal, natural setting and not in hotels and other special locations. Perpaduan happens on the ground, as at the Hindu temple yesterday morning, not in hotel ballrooms.

If food is served, this is where the pantang-larang (what is forbidden) of the guests must be given proper respect.

Looking forward to Mujahid doing more than organising rallies.

RAVINDER SINGH Penang