Hadi's remarks insensitive and uncalled for: Bersama
Published on: Thursday, January 21, 2016
Penampang: The recent disparaging remarks against Christianity and East Malaysians by PAS President Datuk Hadi Awang was insensitive, uncalled for and spoke volumes of the personality of the man and his arrogance.Malaysia United People's Party (Bersama) Acting President Phillip Among said the party took exception to Hadi's allegation that natives in the Interior of Sabah and Sarawak converted to Christianity because the missionaries gave them money and food, which was not only misleading but dangerous as it implied Hadi's belief that money and food would convert people to Christianity."Hadi must be reminded that Christians have all the liberty to leave the religion and embrace other religions as there is no forcing them to remain Christian. ADVERTISEMENT If at all, the natives, or whoever, converted to Christianity, it is because of the love and salvation message brought by Jesus and the Gospels."We trust that Islam would not approve of Hadi's opinion which is insulting and demeaning in nature. How could Hadi be an adviser to the Barisan Nasional leadership when BN comprised so many multi-cultural and multi-religion parties?"Bersama would like to ask whether PBS, Upko, PBRS or PRS agree with Hadi's observation," he said in a statement here, Wednesday.ADVERTISEMENT Phillip said the people do not even need government or various public-funded agencies to force them to remain in one religion, a fact Hadi refused to believe.Hadi's contention, he said, that the educated shunned Christianity is totally wrong, simplistic and outdated.
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"Certain parts of Europe, which Hadi might have frequently visited, might have shunned churches for reasons best known to them. However, Christianity is not short of the learned and educated even in Europe, Americas, Middle East or even in Asia and Africa."Many Malaysians, including those in PAS, were educated in Christian countries, including by Christian scholars, for that matter," he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Phillip opined that Hadi's remark in the party's mouthpiece Harakah, which has since been picked up by online portals, was a calculated attempt to stir racial tension in the already polarised country and that Hadi could be trying to entice even more extremists to his Islamic party by trying to show some hardline hatred against non-Muslims. He asked how would Hadi explain the so many professionals and educated who left and are leaving PAS for the new more progressive party, Amanah.