(MY) - letters on slaughter in Parliament House

[Guest guest]

From Malaysiakini.com

 

Parliament slaughter: BN may pay heavy political price

 

Dr Jacob George

Jul 11, 07 4:43pm Adjust font size:

 

I refer to the malaysiakini report 'Bloodshed' in Parliament.

 

 

The much floated statement that in Malaysia we have unity in diversity

and that there is common sensitivity among races took a major jolt

when the very people who should pinnacles of sensitivity and common

values decided to hurt religious and racial sensitivities of fellow

Malaysians and parliamentarians by slaughtering six cows and 10 goats

in the Parliament grounds yesterday.

 

An act of such insensitiveness and cruelty that paraded to the country

and the entire world the arrogance of those behind the organised event

which was purely only for political apple-polishing.

 

In the past, we already had the usual abuse of parliamentary sittings,

of vulgarities exchanged, of continued threats and verbal insults that

challenged our minds to question our own frailties as voters - we

were, after all, responsible for putting these people in Parliament.

 

We are now told that the slaughtering of six cows and 10 goats in the

Parliament grounds were necessary to celebrate Prime Minister Abdullah

Ahmad Badawi's marriage to Jeanne Abdullah last month.

 

But the pertinent question is was it politically correct to do so and

in such fashion in Parliament – the highest law-making symbol of our

country and a symbol of Malaysian democracy that caters for a

multiracial and multi-religious quorum?

 

A venue where for the past 50 years, an event of such religious

insensitivity never took place? Would it not have been more proper if

the event could have been celebrated in pomp and fashion at the many

other venues available in the country?

 

Again, I must humbly point out that certain quarters in the country

seem to have forgotten that the issue of sensitivity works both ways.

In this controversy, if one man could have made a difference, it would

have been Dewan Raayat Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib.

 

But he, too, showed all and sundry that he was an Umno politician

first when he abandoned a common sense approach and stated rather

foolishly that slaughtering animals was a common practice and not

unusual during dinners!

 

It is indeed sad that more than 1,000 people including Deputy Prime

Minister Najib Abdul Razak, cabinet ministers and MPs from both BN and

the opposition may have attended the said dinner not realising the

political impact of the blunder.

 

For the record, this is not the first time and neither will it be the

last when the sensitivities of the minority races are hurt. They will

remain hurt as long as there is no apology tendered and only sheepish

comments made by some fearful of a backlash from those offended.

 

 

 

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Parliament building not an abattoir

Disgusted

Jul 11, 07 4:39pm Adjust font size:

 

I refer to the malaysiakini report 'Bloodshed' in Parliament.

 

While wholeheartedly congratulating the prime minister of our country

on his marriage and wishing a blissful married life forever, I am

unable to contain the disgust and disdain at how the august Parliament

premises could be made into a 'slaughter house'.

 

The Parliament is 'sacred' in every sense of the word and I am unable

to fathom who had given the permission for this 'blood letting.'

 

Is the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BBC) full of imbeciles

unable to reason out the sanctity of Parliament? Where is the

consideration and respect for your Hindu and Buddhist

Parliamentarians?

 

Let alone the fact that this desecration had taken place, Speaker

Ramli Ngah Talib, not one of the brightest sparks, had apparently said

that, it (slaughtering of animals) is a common practice and not

unusual during dinners.

 

Yes, it could be a common practice during dinners but not in the

Parliament grounds! Period. Can the Muslims in the BBC accept the idea

of slaughtering swine in the Parliament premises since what is good

for the goose is also good for the gander?

 

In a multiracial and multi-religious country, due respect to the

sensitivities of other races goes a long way towards fostering greater

unity. Sadly what is happening now in our beloved country is that

while one race expects others to respect its beliefs and

sensitivities, it fails to observe the same when it comes to others.

This is becoming a common thing now.

 

With our penchant for coming up with the tallest, longest and biggest

what-not just to be mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records, looks

like we might have been the first to convert an august Parliament

building into an abattoir. Surely, Malaysia Boleh.