Malay congress to counter those who question Islam, says organiser

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 30 Sep 2019 7:25PM · 6 Comments

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to give a speech at the Malay dignity congress on Sunday, which has upset a number of people. – AFP pic, September 30, 2019.

THE Malay dignity congress on October 6 where Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to give a speech is held in response to those who “belittled and questioned” Islam and Malay rights, said a member of its organising team.

The event’s secretariat’s chief executive Zainal Kling said beside Islam and Malay rights, the position of the royalty and the national language were also being questioned.

“This is why we are organising the congress… Because all the questions have challenged Malay dignity so much so that they do not only feel challenged but also played, belittled and underestimated,” he was quoted saying by Malaysiakini at a press conference today.

Dr Mahathir is scheduled to speak at the event, which is organised by the Pusat Kecemerlangan Melayu Akademi Pengajian Melayu Universiti Malaya in collaboration with UTM, Universiti Putra Malaysia and the Sultan Idris Education University.

It will be held at Stadium Malawati in Shah Alam instead of the Axiata Arena Stadium in Bukit Jalil as announced earlier.

Already, there are objections to the prime minister’s scheduled attendance at the event.

MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker said Dr Mahathir should not attend it to show that he was a “prime minister for all”.

Ti said the prime minister’s presence could aggravate racial tensions.

Zainal today was quoted as saying that those who questioned Malays and Islam “should accept Malaysia with Islam as the official religion, Bahasa Melayu as the national language and the special privileges of the Malays.

“This should be the principle of all Malaysians and not what certain political parties say that Malaysia should be like this or like that,” he said in Malaysiakini’s report.

He said the universities organising the congress won’t allow themselves to be made political tools, as claimed by Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Khaled earlier today said universities should not be organising such an event, as it was political in nature.

Khaled said universities should remain neutral and focus on developing knowledge and leave the championing of Malay rights to political parties.

“We are our own thoughts, we do not want to be tools,” Zainal said.

The event will discuss education, religion, culture, politics and the economy from a Malay perspective. – September 30, 2019.

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Comments

  • Since when did

    Posted 4 years ago by Mahsuri Sighs · Reply

  • Since when did Islam stop being a religion based on critical thought, understanding and compassion?

    Posted 4 years ago by Mahsuri Sighs · Reply

  • Leave out ZN, Hadi, Zahid, and invite a few islamic scholars and statesmen to lift the image and gain respect.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • BTN in the open.

    Posted 4 years ago by Jacob Hong · Reply

  • UMNO countered PAS, and then PAS countered UMNO, and then PAS-UMNO countered PH. Now PH counters who?

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Its the economy, stupid.

    Posted 4 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply