In his statement on 22 August 2019, Tun Mahathir Mohamed has reaffirmed his stand that Dr Zakir Naik will not be deported to India. WAFIQ unreservedly supports this decision.
In a country like ours, peace always hangs on a delicate balance. We must not succumb to provocations from within by irresponsible media portals which sensationalize issues for their own agenda. We should also be very wary of any external forces which may seek to destroy the peace in our country. As we have witnessed the cataclysmic election of Donald Trump in the U.S. and the referendum for Brexit in the U.K. mired in controversy of manipulation by the media, we should really not fall for the same tactics in our country.
Dr Zakir Naik is a well-respected caller to Islam who will most certainly be harmed by Hindu nationalists in his home country. We should be proud that we are providing refuge to this remarkable man against religious extremists who have a track record of violence.
WAFIQ also shares the opinion of Tun Mahathir regarding the unwillingness of Dong Jiao Zong to agree to any of the national education policies as racist. Their assertion that Jawi leads to Islamisation is a fallacious and vacuous argument. It belies their own ignorance about what Jawi really is and ironically is the perfect illustration of why Jawi should be made compulsory to all Malaysians. Objecting to knowledge which will help them appreciate and assimilate the heritage and culture of the land they are living in illustrates nothing short of racism and Islamophobia on their part. Dong Jiao Zong has long been a thorn in the side of our nation, hindering nation building and unity because they constantly play the race card in politics. As long as Dong Jiao Zong are allowed to operate, we will never be able to focus on good governance as they continue to make racial issues relevant to political discourse.
In the spirit of the upcoming Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations, let us resolve to forge our way forward in the framework of our Federal Constitution. Let us discard the mentality that some ethnicities are inherently superior simply because of their success in attaining material wealth. We are all equal no matter what skin color we are and the only thing that differentiates us is how conscious we are of God.
Dr. Qalamu Nusaybah
Education Exco
International Women’s Alliance for Family and Quality Education
WAFIQ
