DAP 2017 Thaipusam Day Message By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 9.2.2017.
Religious Festivals Such As Thaipusam From Minority Groups Should Be Celebrations Of National Unity, Diversity, Mutual Respect And Tolerance As Well As Our Malaysian Spirit.
Religious festivals such as Thaipusam from minority groups should be celebrations of national unity, diversity, mutual respect and tolerance as well as our Malaysian spirit. Even though Thaipusam is a Hindu Festival amongst the Tamil community, marking the victory of good over evil, Malaysians can relate to evil being vanquished by good.
Fighting evil, corruption, immoral, criminal and terrorist acts is universal and common to all religions. Creating lies and spewing hate against another community or a religious group different from ours is anathema to all religions. Blaming certain groups for the country’s problems or to cover up failures of governance may distract attention in the short-term but in the long-term will not resolve the basic problems of corruption or economic malaise faced by 30 million Malaysians.
DAP is concerned that some minority religious groups are now being targeted as enemies with lies, baseless accusation and hate. Innocent individual or group can be targeted for no offence other than they are different. Or as a well-regarded journalist-cum columnist boldly questioned,
“How did hating other religions become such a fundamental part of a religion?”
Malaysians should return to the Merdeka spirit of being a Malaysian, not identified by who we are whether Muslim or non-Muslim, Malay,Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan or Orang Asli. But fully embracing every one as a functioning and productive Malaysian citizen who is a human being with rights and dignity.
It is in this spirit of celebrating the uniqueness of the Malaysian ethos that accepts and empowers the freedom of all beliefs and cultural customs to be practiced, that DAP wishes every one a Happy Thaipusam!
LIM GUAN ENG