Message of Peace in conjunction with HINDRAF’s candle light vigil on 5/9/09.

Mosque coexists peacefully in Indian majority Brickfeilds unlike the hindu temple in Shah Alam

As I passed Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad in Brickfeilds for breakfast this morning it once again dawned upon me of the peaceful co-existence of a small hindu temple, a well established Church next door, an elaborate Chinese temple and a brand new Mosque, all almost next to each other. Not a day had the Indians and Hindus who form about 80% of the population of Brickfeilds objected to or protested to the building of this grand brand new mosque in Brickfeilds. It is not the culture of the Indians and hindus to do so. The hindus practice the often quoted and practiced verse “ yem mathame sam mathame” that is they are in co-existence with all religions. Similarly it is also not the culture of PAS ruled Kelantan to demolish or ask to relocate the ancient Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu Temple in Tumpat, Kelantan and which is located in a 99.99% malay muslim town, on the main road into Tumpat town and with only two hindu families left in this town.

This is peaceful religious co existence in practice in Malaysia. We humbly call upon Malaysians to stop using the term religious tolerance. Why should we tolerate another religion. We should co-exist like in the aforesaid two examples. We should all move forward in the direction of coexisting rather then tolerating. Then we would not have the situation of the unprecedented and new trend religious exremists demonstrations and cow head protest of the likes as in Shah Alam.

Perhaps UMNO, the PKR led Selangor State government and the Shah Alam religious extremist anti hindu temple demonstrators and the cow head protesters should take a leaf and learn about peaceful religious co-existence from the hindus in Brickfeilds and PAS in Tumpat, Kelantan and in many other parts of Malaysia especially in Penang and Malacca.

We await the day the UMNO led Malaysian government puts to an end to all forms of racial and religious extremist policies and practices and upholds and puts into practice Article 8 (Equality before the law) and Article 11 (Freedom of Religion) of the Federal Constitution instead of the usual puppet shadow play “wayang kulit” racial and “religious harmony” in Malaysia.

Thank you.

P.Uthayakumar

Secretary General (pro-tem)