Interfaith committee meeting back on track
Nigel AwPublished: Apr 14, 2010 6:35 AM | Updated: Apr 14, 2010 7:15 AM
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s clarification that he was misquoted in relation to the ‘small fry’ remark has restored harmony on the interfaith front.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s clarification that he was misquoted in relation to the ‘small fry’ remark has restored harmony on the interfaith front.
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism has accepted his denial of the remark.
Contacted today, its president Rev Thomas Philips said that the council plans to move forward with the Committee on Promoting Interfaith Understanding and Harmony.
“I will call ... to fix a new date for the meeting and I hope that it can be held as soon as possible to avoid any further misunderstanding or misquotes,” he said.
The council had pulled out of the interfaith committee’s second meeting yesterday, pending clarification by Muhyiddin.
‘No threat to Islam’
Asked to comment on claims by Malay-rights NGO Perkasa and the Perak Fatwa Committee that the interfaith committee will undermine the status of Islam as the official religion, Philips stressed that everyone has differing viewpoints.
“I don’t know where they are getting this from because Islam is already enshrined (as the official religion) in the constitution. The committee will only focus on discussing issues affecting each other,” he explained.
The committee was set up following recent cabinet approval. It comes under the purview of Koh Tsu Koon, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who is in charge of unity and national integration.
Pointing out its significance, Philips said this is the first time in 20 years that such a committee has been endorsed by the government.
“It is a good start because it is a recognised forum to discuss issues openly and to respect different points of view in the spirit of harmony,” he added.
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism has accepted his denial of the remark.Contacted today, its president Rev Thomas Philips said that the council plans to move forward with the Committee on Promoting Interfaith Understanding and Harmony.
“I will call ... to fix a new date for the meeting and I hope that it can be held as soon as possible to avoid any further misunderstanding or misquotes,” he said.
The council had pulled out of the interfaith committee’s second meeting yesterday, pending clarification by Muhyiddin.
‘No threat to Islam’
Asked to comment on claims by Malay-rights NGO Perkasa and the Perak Fatwa Committee that the interfaith committee will undermine the status of Islam as the official religion, Philips stressed that everyone has differing viewpoints.
“I don’t know where they are getting this from because Islam is already enshrined (as the official religion) in the constitution. The committee will only focus on discussing issues affecting each other,” he explained.
The committee was set up following recent cabinet approval. It comes under the purview of Koh Tsu Koon, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who is in charge of unity and national integration.
Pointing out its significance, Philips said this is the first time in 20 years that such a committee has been endorsed by the government.
“It is a good start because it is a recognised forum to discuss issues openly and to respect different points of view in the spirit of harmony,” he added.
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