Surendran denounces phobia-deranged groups
Terence NettoPublished: Jan 24, 2014 1:29 AM | Updated: Jan 24, 2014 4:19 AM
PKR vice-president N Surendran described the view that Anwar Ibrahim's liberalism had emboldened Christian evangelists as the reaction of a fevered imagination to phobias it has foisted on itself.
PKR vice-president N Surendran described the view that Anwar Ibrahim's liberalism had emboldened Christian evangelists as the reaction of a fevered imagination to phobias it has foisted on itself.
"First of all, Anwar is not the first proponent of respect for fundamental freedoms and constitutional guarantees which anti-liberals pejoratively term liberalism," said the lawyer renowned for human rights advocacy.
"In the anti-liberals' befuddled world, liberalism is evil that needs to be stamped out," added the MP for Padang Serai.
He said Anwar, who is opposition leader, should be more accurately seen as a resuscitator of liberal democracy in Malaysia than as its originator or introducer.
Further, Surendran offered the view that the first proponents of liberalism in Malaysian political culture were the “drafters and promulgators of the Merdeka Constitution”.
"That was a liberal document which has suffered over six decades considerable contamination by illiberal Umno-BN leaders but it still retains its essentially liberal ethos," contended the federal legislator who is serving out a six-month suspension from Parliament after jousting with speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia.
Surendran said the liberal thrust of the country's founding document was reiterated in the preamble of the Rukunegara which when it was adopted as the guiding national philosophy in the early 1970s stated that the creation of a liberal society was its goal.
"With these liberal beginnings to our political history, how then can anyone now reasonably portray liberalism as something alien or toxic to our culture. Liberalism is merely a respect and acceptance of the basic rights and freedoms of everyone," he asserted.
No proof of proselytisation
Surendran said certain groups in the country were intent on spreading the word that Christian proselytisation of Muslims was rampant.
"In the last few years, several groups have raised the alarm about Christian evangelisation but not one has offered proof that it has indeed occurred," he said.
"This void in the evidence has not constrained the accusers even when they come from a religious culture where libel can be viewed as worse than murder," reminded Surendran.
He said the frequent portrayal of Christians as fifth columnists in a Muslim nation was no more than an underhanded attempt by Umno and groups aligned to it to prejudice Muslims against the opposition Pakatan Rakyat.
"Umno and its compliant media's playing up Christian proselytisation of Muslims is an act of gross irresponsibility and is tantamount to treachery to the nation," he opined.
"Just the other day, there has been reports alleging that some Muslims have duped some poor Christians in Sabah into converting to Islam, but there is no spasm of rage in the Christian community.
"I don't think it is a case of Christians being indifferent to the fate of their allegedly duped brethren. More likely, they see the whole episode, if in indeed it had taken place, as the consequence of demeaning poverty than the result of criminal duplicity.
"This is evidence of the enlarging effects of liberalism which is a mindset wary of leaping from arbitrary fact to unsubstantiated conclusion," argued the PKR leader.
"First of all, Anwar is not the first proponent of respect for fundamental freedoms and constitutional guarantees which anti-liberals pejoratively term liberalism," said the lawyer renowned for human rights advocacy.
"In the anti-liberals' befuddled world, liberalism is evil that needs to be stamped out," added the MP for Padang Serai.
He said Anwar, who is opposition leader, should be more accurately seen as a resuscitator of liberal democracy in Malaysia than as its originator or introducer.Further, Surendran offered the view that the first proponents of liberalism in Malaysian political culture were the “drafters and promulgators of the Merdeka Constitution”.
"That was a liberal document which has suffered over six decades considerable contamination by illiberal Umno-BN leaders but it still retains its essentially liberal ethos," contended the federal legislator who is serving out a six-month suspension from Parliament after jousting with speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia.
Surendran said the liberal thrust of the country's founding document was reiterated in the preamble of the Rukunegara which when it was adopted as the guiding national philosophy in the early 1970s stated that the creation of a liberal society was its goal.
"With these liberal beginnings to our political history, how then can anyone now reasonably portray liberalism as something alien or toxic to our culture. Liberalism is merely a respect and acceptance of the basic rights and freedoms of everyone," he asserted.
No proof of proselytisation
Surendran said certain groups in the country were intent on spreading the word that Christian proselytisation of Muslims was rampant.
"In the last few years, several groups have raised the alarm about Christian evangelisation but not one has offered proof that it has indeed occurred," he said.
"This void in the evidence has not constrained the accusers even when they come from a religious culture where libel can be viewed as worse than murder," reminded Surendran.
He said the frequent portrayal of Christians as fifth columnists in a Muslim nation was no more than an underhanded attempt by Umno and groups aligned to it to prejudice Muslims against the opposition Pakatan Rakyat.
"Umno and its compliant media's playing up Christian proselytisation of Muslims is an act of gross irresponsibility and is tantamount to treachery to the nation," he opined.
"Just the other day, there has been reports alleging that some Muslims have duped some poor Christians in Sabah into converting to Islam, but there is no spasm of rage in the Christian community.
"I don't think it is a case of Christians being indifferent to the fate of their allegedly duped brethren. More likely, they see the whole episode, if in indeed it had taken place, as the consequence of demeaning poverty than the result of criminal duplicity.
"This is evidence of the enlarging effects of liberalism which is a mindset wary of leaping from arbitrary fact to unsubstantiated conclusion," argued the PKR leader.
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