Wednesday, March 12

LET'S WORK TOGETHER

I hate to hear the news. The appointment of the Islamic-based political party of PAS Menteri Besar has not gone well with some parties, especially the non-Muslims. There are a lot of rumours flying about; some of them malicious and out to create mischief among the people.

Heck, anyone who reads the news will know that the appointment of the Menteri Besar is the perogative of the State's Sultan. As the head of the state, he has the authority to choose whomever he likes as the state executive leader to head the state government. As a former Chief judge and the most learned among the sultans, I am sure His Highness knows what he is doing. Please for God's sake, respect the Sultan's decisions.

If there are people who oppose the appointment of this new Menteri Besar, I hope they can give good valid reasons. Don't use the excuse that because he is from an Islamic-based political party that he is being rejected. The political parties should refrain from bickering over this issue for at the end of the day, we are still the sultan's subjects, who reside in his state. Insisting that the ruler amends the state constitution to allow a non-Malay non-Muslim to head the state as the Menteri Besar is a political suicide, to say the least. It will be foolhardy to go against the sultan's wishes in public. It will be a great insult to the people, especially the Malay community. We must remember that the state sultan has the power to choose for after all, he is the ruler.

I hope that people can see that we have more things in common than differences. We share the same universal values. We want peace, stability, integrity, and justice. We seek a fair and just society where nobody will be denied their rights. A Menteri Besar, whether he is from a multi-racial and multi-religious political party, or a single-religious one should abide to these principles too.

Don't think that Islam is against these principles. In fact, Islam preaches all these. A leader from a Islamic-based political party, or any other is fine with me, as long as he practices fair governance. If anyone claims that the Islamic-based party of PAS will try to implement hudud laws in the state, I'd say why not? Why fear something that we have no proper knowledge and information about? Have those who say no to hudud actually know what it is about? Have they read up the true information about this laws from reliable sources, from the learned men and ulamas? Frankly, I don't think so. There are already many misconceptions about hudud that plays on the fears of the non-Muslims, and make them reject Islam.

Man proposes but God decides. Everything is happening with a reason, of which we do not know of. So we should keep our wits, and seek to work together for a common good. Let there be peace and prosperity in this beloved land. Let us start by sowing the seeds of trust and love for each other, instead of harbouring hatred and distrust. Let us work together for a better future for ourselves, our family and our future generation. It's our choice. Make the best of it.

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