I think the Education Ministry should investigate what was labelled as 'an anti-Christian seminar' held at a higher learning institution recently.
At least, minister Mahadzir Khalid should at least state the government's stand in the matter, which stirred uneasy feeling among Christians and non-Muslims in the country for its 'provocative sentiments'. Even some Muslims didn't understand its motive.
Several opposition leaders and moderates have voiced out their disgust at the seminar, calling it 'odious and dangerous' towards national unity.
Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian is outraged with the UiTM anti-Christian seminar held in the university’s Lendu campus in Malacca recently. He also questioned the police for sending a speaker to the controversial event held at the university.
“What does the police force have to do with strengthening the akidah of Muslims? They are supposed to keep law and order, not dabble in religious instruction.
“The fact that they think it is acceptable to hold this seminar and to even send an officer to speak should give us loud warning bells — what sort of people do we have in the police force?” said Baru in a statement.
A picture posted by Facebook user Deacon Adrian Ng on his page last Saturday showed one of the slides at the seminar, which says “Ancaman Gerakan Permurtadan Kristianisasi”, that is making its rounds on the social media.
The slide also bears the police logo alongside UiTM’s.
Malaysiakini reported Malacca police chief Datuk Chua Ghee Lye as confirming the presence of a Bukit Aman Special Branch officer who attended the seminar as a speaker and said the seminar touched on attempts to convert Muslims to other religions, and it was meant to strengthen the akidah of the Muslims, especially among university students.
The Malay Mail Online also quoted Malacca UiTM corporate communications chief Siti Najah Raihan Sakrani, who confirmed the seminar and said it was held to “strengthen the faith of Muslims students”.
She was also quoted saying non-Muslims were exempted from the programme because the university “did not want to create a controversy, where we might be accused of trying to convert them to Islam”.
Remember when non-Muslim reporters were barred from covering a seminar on Islam organised by Puteri Umno in conjunction with the party's general assembly last week?
The response the went viral within minutes questioned the move, and to some extents drew accusation that Umno was trying to be racist.
This is the kind of thing we need to avoid and to address. Being a 'special' university for Bumiputras does not mean they can organise such a seminar that hurts the feeling of non-Muslims.
Mahadzir, please look into it, thank you.