23 Apr 2024, 20:08 Kuching
23 Apr 2024, 13:08 London
Following the crackdown on politicians and others charged with sedition of late, Muslims were today warned of certain groups raising issues against the social contract, just to capture power and influence.
These people, according to today’s Friday sermon in mosques in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, are brave to question the position of Islam within the constitution, the role of the syariah court and the power of the monarch as the head of Islam and Malay culture in this country.
“They criticise and ridicule the rights of Muslims. We should look at what is happening right now and this is the result of the people being obsessed with individual rights, to the extent of not realising that this affects others.
“What is of greater concern is that there are certain portions of society that misinterpret issues, are not willing to listen to advice and are not satisfied with various issues, such as religion and ethnic and human rights.”
As a result of this, statistics from the police show that the authorities have received 853 reports on 33 cases on issues affecting the sensitivity of the races between January and July this year, from all over the country, the Friday sermon says.
Hence, the sermon, issued by the Islamic Advancement Department, advises Muslims not to act according to their whims or to follow the directions of others who have interests to affect the tolerance of the people by raising issues that have been agreed upon…..
Friday’s sermon in Malaysia is prepared by Jakim, a department of state controlled by the Prime Minister, enforcing the same message in every mosque.
Contrast this with the weekly sermon in democratic countries, which is left in each parish to the individual priest or imam, and consider the totalitarian influence that supposedly democratic politicians therefore seek to exert over minds in Malaysia.
Now look at how Najib has started abusing that influence. In this Friday’s sermon the PM taunted critics for being ‘brave’ to stand up to his bullying use of sedition laws to silence them.
He also plainly exposed his own greatest fear, which is that these opponents are “seeking to capture power and influence”. This, of course, is their absolute right in a democracy, which is all about seeking to win the arguments in the eyes of the people, so that you can take a turn at representing them.
Najib instead wants Muslims to be told that it is legitimate for him to jail people who argue more persuasively than him.
How could this be right? It is here that the sermon lowers into an obnoxious and dangerous lie. This week the faithful were instructed that Najib’s legitimate opponents “criticise and ridicule the rights of Muslims”.
What possible evidence is there for that when so many of his opponents are deeply devout Muslims also?
Also, he claims that they undermine the monarch and sharia law and their place within the constitution – misleadingly implying that these are above the rule of civil law and the will of the people.
Religion should not be abused in this manner to divide and mislead the faithful.
Does this ‘democratic’ PM love power and money above his country and his people?
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