YOURSAY | ‘Religious fundamentalism... can play havoc on a multi-religious and multi-cultural society.’
No such thing as halal and non-halal premises, Jakim told
Vijay47: First of all, in the context of present Malaysian reality, pork or beef or Toblerone or birthday cakes have nothing to do with culture or religion, impure or sacred.
Right now, it is Operation Distraction from the real problems and abuses facing us and what better way than to raise the ogre of religion. Language and race have lost their sting and matters of faith can be counted on to definitely bring the house down.
Just consider the many issues that have on an almost daily basis suddenly cropped up and are blamed for confusing and weakening the faith of certain lost souls.
And all this after about 60 years of our existence as a nation - were Muslims living in grievous sin all this while? But credit to the Muslim forces - how cunningly and subtly they are introducing Islamic ways into our lives, with some non-Muslims gladly welcoming them.
Kim Quek: If Muslims can’t eat in premises where there is non-halal food, as suggested by one reader here, then wouldn’t many Muslims in Western societies be starving?
What about the world’s largest Muslim country, Indonesia, where Muslims have no qualms eating in premises where halal and non-halal foods are freely served - aren’t they also Muslims?
Decades ago, Malaysia used to be like Indonesia, where Muslims eat halal food freely in restaurants operated by non-Muslims without a thought to the presence of non-halal food there. Were they not good Muslims?
Religious fundamentalism, if intensified unabated, can play havoc on a multi-religious and multi-cultural society like Malaysia. It is the responsibility of the political leadership in power to keep such tendency in check while promoting sectarian mutual understanding and respect.
6th Generation Immigrant: The word ‘halal’ literally means permissible (for Muslims). In translation, it is usually used as lawful/allowed/acceptable.
The opposite, ‘haram’, means unlawful/prohibited/forbidden. One is an advisory while the other is a definite command of not allowed at all.
The authorities should be issuing certifications only for haram outlets. We are instead using halal advisories to manage non-Muslims. The intended target for the Muslim authorities is the Muslim society, not the non-Muslim outlets and people.
But the turn of events proved otherwise today. Today, halal certifications are being used to further impose or regulate non-Muslim outlets (‘permissible’ is lost in all interpretations). This is enforcement, not an advisory, hence the concerns.
Non-Muslims are non-Muslims, they cannot be expected to practice or be managed through the Muslim way of life.
Goldee: The government said the people are divided because of vernacular schools. The children must study in the national schools so they can interact with one another. But they set up universities and colleges only for bumiputeras.
Now they even segregate the people further by imposing halal and non-halal foods. Non-Muslims are not allowed to eat non-halal food at the same table with their Muslim friends.
At one time, they even discouraged Muslims from participating in celebrating other faiths' festivals such as Christmas, Deepavali and Chinese New Year, fearing they would be influenced.
It’s the government's fault that it imposed rules and regulations that separate Malaysians of different ethnic groups and faiths, not the vernacular schools.
Thurais: I have seen the picture of the notice from McDonald's. It clearly states that the cakes have to have 'halal' certification from the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) with strictly no exception.
Therefore, even Muslim parents can't bring in home-baked cakes. I think it is pretty much fair.
Gerard Lourdesamy: Jakim should go to Sarawak where Muslims and non-Muslims sit at the same table and eat and drink their respective foods and beverages.
I have seen pork and alcohol served and eaten at the same table. The Muslims did not get offended or walk away. Of course, they did not eat the pork or drink the alcohol. It’s all about mutual respect and acceptance.
It’s not about the law but the spirit of the law. But we do have some non-Muslims here who will say and do anything to appease the Muslim majority just to be seem correct.
Solaris: If this is so, what happens to Malay stalls in Chinese coffee shops? They have been there since time immemorial and still exist today.
GE14Now!: Some have claimed that bringing impure products into places that are frequented by Muslims is insensitive.
If that is to be accepted then what are places like McDonald's going to do with all those who eat and handle pork, play with dogs and so on, and then who go into such places?
Perhaps certain segments of the population should not touch the trays that are used by non-Muslims just in case the latter have handled pork before they enter these premises with pig oil on their hands.
It seems to me like there are some people who try to be heavenly minded to the point that they are of no earthly use any more.
Bumiputhran: I intent to invent a sanitising money handler that would eliminate any traces of pork and other non-halal substances, followed by a gigantic air blower that would sanitise all the oxygen in the whole atmosphere.
I will lobby for an Act of Parliament to make it an offence for any non-Muslims to come any closer than one metre of distance to a Muslim.
I will follow this up with a requirement for a facial and body burqa that all non-Muslims must wear in public places, lest their non-Muslim image offends the sensitive sight of Muslims.
Please suggest other remedies as to how we can keep our fragile Muslims preserved and conserved with kid glove protective environment lest they become infected and corrupted and unfit to be a Muslim.
Anonymous #44199885: This is a sign that our country is moving towards two societies, two justice systems, two education systems, two economic systems and the way it is going may be two governments - one for Muslims and one for non-Muslims.
All this is due to the failure of BN to uphold a multicultural and multiethnic social order created by our forefathers led by Umno MCA and MIC stalwarts.
And a failure having its roots in a leadership that won’t stand up to an alleged kleptomaniac who is destroying the very fabric of our institutions and social order by his dalliance with PAS.
The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.
These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.