YESTERDAY, a colleague attended a funeral in a church. A retired colonel had died and family, relatives and friends were there to give him a final send-off.

But what caught his attention was the dignified manner a phalanx of young soldiers pushed the coffin into the church; the respectful way they took their seats in the pews and followed the funeral service.

The soldiers who were Christian knelt, prayed and sang the hymns. ‎The Muslims in the army green did not take part in the funeral service but they were respectful throughout.

In one pew, two soldiers knelt and prayed. Next to them, Muslim soldiers sat and maintained a stoic silence. We can only guess is that when you are willing to fight and die for each other, there is no space for suspicion or envy to take root.

It would be silly to suggest that this portrait of mutual respect for another’s faith is a microcosm of life in our blessed country. ‎Sadly, it is not. 

But the scene at the funeral service was a reminder that there are some things in Malaysia really worth fighting for and doing our best to nurture.

Respect for each other’s religious beliefs is one of them. For a start, this involves doing our best not to say or do anything that could be hurtful to Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, etc. 

This injunction must also cover cartoonists and other artistes who may believe that artistic licence gives them the freedom to lampoon anything and anyone. It does not. Merdeka happened 60 years ago but maturity and progressive thinking is as uneven as some Kuala Lumpur roads.

It must also inform any government policy or decision to allow so-called preachers or “religious experts” into Malaysia of any faith or persuasion.

If there is a disquiet over the Najib administration’s decision to award controversial preacher Zakir Naik a permanent residency, it is because his penchant of belittling the religions practised by more than 25% of Malaysians.

Does that wash in a country where everyone is free to practise his or her own faith, as written out in the Federal Constitution? Would that even be legitimate in any country around the world?

We in Malaysia speak of mutual tolerance when it comes to religious practices when we should speak of mutual respect. Over in Sabah and Sarawak, the authorities ban such preachers because the religious harmony there is within families and much greater than over in the peninsula.

We need to go beyond the headlines and personalities who reveal their biases and belittle other faiths. We need to know that be it in weddings, births and deaths, people of all faiths and races come together to celebrate in peace and harmony.

The thing is this, Malaysia is built on the sweat, blood, tears and prayers of every Malaysian, no matter what his or her faith is. If we can’t respect that, we have no business being in Malaysia or being Malaysian.

Malaysians need to stand up as one on this, and shut down those who spew hate or superiority over others. We are a country where everyone is equal, no matter his or her faith or social standing. – April 23, 2017.