We Invite Muslim Friends To Celebrate Cny Not Pray Wee

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PARLIAMENT | MCA president Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) has urged Putrajaya to review a plan to introduce new guidelines for Muslims attending events held in non-Muslim places of worship, including funerals.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Wee said such a proposal should have been discussed and fine-tuned by the cabinet first before any announcement was made.
He stressed that the guidelines must be clear and safeguard harmony among the country’s multicultural society.
Distinction between cultural, religious events
Taking the Chinese New Year as an example, Wee said many non-Chinese people seem to still confuse the celebration as religious when it is actually a cultural event.
Cabinet members participating in lou sang in conjunction with the Chinese New Year on Jan 24“Like the Chinese New Year, today is the first day for the Hokkien community. So yesterday we invited the Malays to our house (to celebrate). We prepared our prayer (altar) but we never invited the Muslims to join us to pray.
“It is also not a prayer event, instead (Chinese New Year) is a cultural celebration.
“So, how do we make a guideline that is clear (about the distinctions)? It is important to keep harmony among the different races because we are living in the context of a multiracial society.
“Thus, I would like to ask the government to, whether this matter has been discussed by the cabinet before this or otherwise, to finetune it instead of making such an ad-hoc announcement which attracted a lot of reactions,” he said.
Wee touched on the guidelines when debating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address.
The government representative also questioned the plan to require the Islamic Development Department’s (Jakim) approval before a Muslim can attend a non-Muslim funeral.
“If a relative of mine dies, since I also have Muslim relatives, they would surely come to visit. They will hug us because we are members of the same family.
“So how are we going to distinguish whether it is cultural or religious? Because we have different perspectives,” Wee added.
New guidelines
In a written parliamentary reply yesterday, Na’im announced that the government would be introducing new guidelines for events involving Muslims taking place in non-Islamic houses of worship.
The guidelines include having to obtain permission from religious authorities if the event includes Muslims, and that the events must not contain elements that could offend Muslim sensitivities.
Potentially offensive elements include speeches, songs, and pamphlets in the form of religious propaganda; performances or speeches that mock Islam; holding the event during Muslim prayer times; having it close to a surau, mosque, Muslim cemetery, or wakaf (endowment) land; and the premises containing non-Islamic religious symbols.
Na’im said the guidelines will be finalised by the Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs at the end of the month. - Mkini

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