MCA is ranting wild about a PAS state assemblyman's remarks in Pahang concerning the demolition of statues of worship. But it all sounds rather pathetic, a desperate ploy by the Barisan Nasional (BN) component party to discredit PAS in the eyes of non-Muslims.

True, the now popular Idris Omar did say something to that effect. True, he is no ordinary politician. He is the Pahang state opposition leader and PAS deputy spiritual leader.

Which is why when someone, least of all a non-Muslim, speaks off-tangent about Islam, he is duty-bound to stand up and set the record straight, said a PAS supporter.

Idris denied making the statement and if one scrutinises the Pahang state assembly Hansard, one would find that MCA's Ti Lean Ker was mischievous in saying "if PAS governed the country, such statues could be destroyed by the party".

Ti had set a trap and Idris fell for it. Perhaps, perhaps not.

The melee started when Ti, the Indera Mahkota assemblyman, was explaining to the House the virtues of the Chinese mythical god, Kuan Kung.

Ti said many Chinese businessmen kept statues of this god in their offices in hope of obtaining guidance and becoming successful in business.

Then, he added, if PAS governed the country, such statues could be destroyed.

Verbatim record

The question is: What was Ti's basis for making such an allegation? Were there reports of such statutes being demolished anywhere near those two states ruled by PAS?

Following is verbatim translation of the Hansard on what transpired during this particular sitting of the Pahang state assembly sitting:

Idris: "So, it means that in Islam there is a main rule that is not to be touched and its division says that we do not ban if Islam do not allow statues (unclear) not true but if it is done by Muslims to keep that statue.

"As related to the worship of statues and et cetera no (unclear) because in Islam I feel all know that all Muslims know that (Quranic phrases) 'For you, your religion; for us, ours' So, now these four state assemblymen try to twist until this issue, turns big and I say thank you and I hope that my friend will continue."

Idris was then backed up by Jengka's Ibrahim Tuan Man, who said: "Speaker, Sir, I would like to explain that in the legal system of Islam, the right to religion is a right given and we have never forced the non-Muslims, whether it is on statues or others.

"As examples, in Kelantan and Terengganu, show us if there is evidence that even one statue was destroyed by the state government. Because it is against the rule of the religion.

"I even testify now that if there are Muslims who go and destroy any church, any object of worship by non-Muslims, then he will be sinful from the perspective of religion. This is the assurance of Islam to the non-Muslims." (noise of tables being thumped heard)

The MCA assemblymen later spoke of replicas of turtles and mouse deers being demolished by the Kelantan state government sometime ago. PAS had said the move was to facilitate road improvements.

Although Ti produced a tape recording, journalists were not convinced that Idris had committed such a outrage. The tape was similar to the Hansard, the latter made available to malaysiakini recently.

Sources from Chinese newspapers say journalists in Kuantan who reported the incident got their story from the MCA representative.

Pig farming

Now, who do we believe?

To be fair to PAS, one has to view the bigger picture or look at states currently being ruled by the party to see if there is evidence of such ill-treatment of non-Muslims before making wild assumptions in the first place.

Many Chinese who have visited Kelantan would attest that the state is rich in culture. Someone said she would love to bring up her children there.

Many, too, have visited places of worship in that Muslim state and have dropped by at the shrine with a statue of the biggest sleeping Buddha in Southeast Asia.

There is land allocated for Chinese and Tamil schools and also for pig farming. There was even a Christmas concert last year.

The MCA could only cite replicas of turtles and mouse deers being destroyed but PAS can list out the number of estate and squatter dwellers who got evicted (in Hulu Kelang, Selangor) because their houses were destroyed to give way to development.

Building or destruction of places of worship is a sensitive issue. While there is no complaint of such incidences in Kelantan or Terengganu, those outside can vouch there were several incidents, for example, of Hindu temples being destroyed in Penang.

There is also a Catholic church in Shah Alam which is still having problems with its construction approval after 25 years. The argument is that Shah Alam is predominantly a Malay state and there is no need for such a large Catholic church.

Sexily clad

While many households in Kelantan and Terengganu are below the poverty line, one has not seen a racial incident such as the recent Petaling Jaya Selatan clashes sparked off by socio-economic problems.

"The way MCA and DAP go on about statues, alcohol and gambling, it sound as if that's all the Chinese care about. It is a myth that we are all liberals, many of us are conservative, too," said one parent in Kelantan.

"We do have other virtues and have high moral values, too. We do not like seeing our spouses or children getting drunk or gambling the night away. Some of us are becoming more religious and more health conscious," he added.

Last week, PAS MP for Parit Buntar, Hassan Ali, complained about the alleged behaviour of wrestlers and sexily-clad women wrestlers.

Hassan, speaking in Parliament, questioned why the Information Ministry allowed scenes from a Japanese serial which depicted adultery in a sentimental mode.

But to be honest, romanticising adultery and depicting heroic scenes of unfaithful men or women fighting over their men are not exactly the kind of messages feminists would want to see, too.

Feminists might also agree that sexily-clad wrestlers add on to the negative image of women as sex symbols, nothing more.

Many, too, would agree that wrestling is such a violent sport and no right-thinking parent would want their children to emulate such actions.

Talk about a liberal state, said someone recently, but look at Penang where two women were chased out of the Road Transport Department on Monday for being 'inappropriately' dressed. The officer had remarked: "Are you going to the disco?"

Making inroads

PAS has pledged to amend the Federal constitution to make Islamic laws supreme if the party forms the Federal government.

Any other law - common, civil and criminal - which is deemed to be inconsistent with Islamic principles would be modified and reconciled.

PAS would also reorganise the judicial system to make it fall in line with Islamic laws.

Such news may be good news, particularly to those who want to see civil and political rights restored including the abolishment of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

While anti-PAS supporters and BN politicians continue quoting and misquoting PAS leaders out of context, the party is making inroads into the non-Muslim community not merely by words but by deeds.

MCA has to work harder and find better ways to discredit PAS or review their sense of ideology before more states fall into the opposition's hands.

SUSAN LOONE is a malaysiakini journalist.