Perkasa

Yesterday was the first time that I heard the name of this organization mentioned by Dr Mahathir Mohamed. According to our former Prime Minister Malays are joining new associations or ngos because they feel that they are not being represented by UMNO anymore. What is said by our Tun is absolutely true. Now I feel that our Malays rights are not being taken care of by UMNO. These people are always busy seeking contracts and trying to make as much money and are only putting up a charade when facing the ordinary Malays.They just use the Malays as a stepping stone or platform to enrich themselves. They are not real fighters.

Once they are rewarded ministers post, these Malay ministers become too Malaysians and are more concerned with the well being of the corporate world. They forget about the Malays they are supposed to represent. This is unlike the Chinese ministers. They always take good care of the group they represent. In most of the things that they do they would give utmost importance to matters realted to their own community. The Malays therefore become disillusion with their own representatitives. They have nowhere to go. it is sad to see some Malays had to approach non Malay NGO group to hilight their problem.

The establishment of PERKASA is timely. The Malays need an effective platform to voice out their grievances. Despite being the majority in Malaysia they feel that they are being cornered in all aspects of their lives. We are now at a crossroad. We need a better platform to fight for our eroding rights. The Malay miniters are now lameducks who are afraid of fighting for the Malay issues. Their main concerns are their well bings in politics.

The Herald Catholic Newspaper

First of all I would have to congratulate Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam for winning the High Court decision to allow the paper to use the word Allah. I have to congratulate The Tan Sri because for the last few months the Malays/Muslims in Malaysia were actually disoriented and without clear directions. There were so many bashings that were going on directed without mercy at the Malays and the Muslims. Dr Mohd Ridhwan Tee Abdulllah, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad and others are some of the personalities being bashed by the bloggers by some of the Chinese and Indian newspapers.

But suddenly came the High Court decision that allows the Catholics carte blanche/ freedom to use the word to describe the Lord /Jesus. This decision immediately has awaken Muslims and Malays from their sleep and deliberating their skewed positions. The decision by the esteem High Court judge has united UMNO, PAS and PKR Muslim members. Even the non-political Malays are beginning to unite again. All this because of Archbishop Tan Sri Pakiam. Thank You Sir. We need this unifying factor to continue to to unite the Muslims in Malaysia. Dato Seri Najib Razak could not have done it. Even Dr. Mahathir Mohammad despite years of experience could not have done what the Archbishop did. Thank you again Sir.

It was a a good thing  on the part of the Catholic leader to go to Court to solve what should have been solved through consultations and compromises. I thought the Barisan Nasional government was very accommodating to all believers in Malaysia. But alas this was not enough to the Archbishop. He wanted more . He wanted to encroach the threshold to the point that would anger the Muslims in Malaysia. It is truly a wrong strategic move. The Muslims in Malaysia would care less if the pribumi who embraced Catholicism in Sabah and Sarawak continue using the word Allah. But making it official through the legal means in which has severe social and legal implications is definitely not welcome by the Malays. Not every thing can be solved through the legal means.

The argument that the the Christian Arabs have been using the word to describe Christian god does not hold water because the context is different. In Malaysia Allah only refers to specifically to Muslim god. No other comparison should be made. The Catholics in Malaysia have no right to take it away from the Muslims. Getting the Court to help interpret on the behalf of the Muslims does not work. As it is just not a literal translation of God but it involves Akidah.

As a Malay who tries to unite the Malays I'm very thankful to the Catholic leader for uniting them. May Allah bless you.