Vel Slur Debate Pkr Leader Tells Saravanan Zamri To Be Responsible

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A PKR leader in charge of the party’s religious understanding and strengthening department has urged MIC deputy president M Saravanan and Muslim preacher Zamri Vinoth to take responsibility for any outcome of their planned debate.
PKR central leadership council member Amidi Abdul Manan stressed that the end goal for the debate should be to contribute towards fostering greater interfaith harmony, rather than stoke simmering tensions.
“Saravanan (above) and Zamri must ensure that any debate or open dialogue, regardless of its name, contributes to strengthening unity among Malaysians.
“If the opposite occurs, both must bear the responsibility of restoring harmony between the races in our country,” said the former Abim president in a statement today.
PKR central leadership council member Amidi Abdul MananAmidi said, Saravanan, as a political figure, should be responsible for steering the country’s politics towards stability rather than further dividing the people.
He added that Zamri, as a preacher, is responsible for fully preserving the principles of dakwah - including through debates associated with the concept of ahsan (the best or most excellent approach).
Ahsan refers to both the method and the outcome of a debate.
“The outcome itself ties back to the hikmah (wisdom) of dakwah.
“If the result leans more toward negativity or distorts the true meaning of the Islamic message, then the approach is far from the wisdom of dakwah,” Amidi explained.
Debate set for March 23
Previously, Saravanan scheduled a debate with Zamri on March 23, following the latter’s controversial remarks comparing kavadi bearers during Thaipusam to individuals who are possessed or intoxicated.
Muslim preacher Zamri VinothSaravanan had issued the debate challenge via video, in which he also urged authorities to arrest Zamri under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma).
In an immediate response, Zamri congratulated Saravanan for being “brave” to hold a dialogue and said this was perhaps the first time in Malaysia’s history that an Indian and Hindu MP was ready to do so.
The preacher came under fire after commenting on the incident involving three Era FM radio announcers under investigation over a TikTok video where one of them was shown dancing while another chanted “vel vel” - often heard during Thaipusam when a person is bearing a kavadi.
Zamri also posted an image with the caption that read chanting “vel vel” does not lead to a loss of life like what happened to firefighter Adib Kassim, who died during a riot outside a Hindu temple in Subang Jaya, Selangor, in 2018. - Mkini

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