Cultural events for all: Cabinet
Published on: Thursday, January 16, 2020
PETALING JAYA: The Cabinet has decided that cultural celebrations should be rejoiced by all Malaysians, said P. Waytha Moorthy.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for National Unity and Social Wellbeing said the Cabinet had unanimously agreed on the decision after concerns were raised regarding the participation of Muslims in celebrating well-known cultural celebrations of non-Muslims.
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“The Cabinet unanimously agreed that all cultural-based celebrations should be observed and participated by Malaysians as one united society.
“Malaysians are well known for our rich and diverse culture so in the spirit of the Rukun Negara and true unity, we should all commemorate these celebrations without prejudice or malice”, he said in a statement Wednesday.
He added that the preamble of the Rukun Negara outlines that Malaysia guarantees a liberal approach towards tradition and the enrichment of the nation’s vast cultural variety.
Waytha will also be organising a joint effort with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs, Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof, to meet various Muslim and non-Muslim religious bodies to provide a better understanding about the differences between traditional and religious celebrations.
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“This effort is with the hopes that future explanation about such celebrations are more accurate and precise.
“I believe this would in turn generate greater understanding between Malaysians, in the name of unity,” he said.
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Meanwhile, the Education Ministry and the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia each say the other is responsible for a controversial circular advising against Muslim participation in the Ponggal harvest festival.
Shortly after the Ministry sent out a statement saying the views in the circular were based on Jakim’s position and guidelines, the department released its own saying that it was the Ministry’s prerogative to send out the circular to schools.
Jakim also insisted that it was simply responding to the ministry’s request.
“The decision in this Matter is under the ministry’s authority. Jakim only provided its views from the Islamic perspective and did not prohibit the celebrations in any way.
“Additionally, Jakim’s shariah expert panel is also of the opinion that it is permissible for Muslims to wish friends and neighbours who are celebrating without the intention of acknowledging their religion, and for Muslims not to belittle, demean, and insult their gods,” the department said.
Earlier, the ministry acknowledged the circular but insisted that it did not prohibit schools from celebrating the Ponggal festival.
The ministry claimed the circular was intended to allay the concerns of Muslim parents about their children’s participation in the festival.
The circular that was leaked online yesterday showed the ministry describing Ponggal as a religious festival and advised Muslims to restrain their participation if “forced” to attend these.
The document cited Jakim as saying it is “haram (forbidden)” for Muslims to join in Ponggal festivities, “especially the event where milk rice is cooked”, referring to the sweet rice that Indians cook in a pot to give thanks for a bountiful harvest.
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