* Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

MALAYSIANS – and people the world over – have generally accepted as a new way of life the so-called new normal that is brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It basically means that under the present circumstances, certain things have to be done in a different way, such as going to the shops wearing a mask and regularly sanitising one’s hands, while other things may not  be done at all, such as going to concerts or even making the polite gesture of shaking hands.

However, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor appears to have taken the concept of new normal to the next level, much to the chagrin of many people, particularly Hindus.

He has cancelled the “cuti peristiwa”, or special holiday, that is normally assigned to Thaipusam in the state. His line of argument is that Thaipusam should not be made a public holiday now that Kedah has been declared a state under another movement-control order (MCO 2.0) that prohibits large gatherings.

Rained with criticisms, Sanusi urged his detractors, including MIC deputy president M. Saravanan and former Umno president Najib Abdul Razak, to ask Putrajaya instead to declare Thaipusam a public holiday nationwide. Kedah, he said, has already made its decision known, i.e., to cancel the holiday.

For the uninitiated, Thaipusam is celebrated by Tamil Hindus. The religious celebrations are normally held on a grand scale at the Batu Caves’ Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple near Kuala Lumpur, the Balathan­dayuthapani Temple or Waterfall Hill Temple in Penang, the Sri Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Sungai Petani in Kedah, and the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Ipoh, Perak.

To be sure, cancelling the said holiday now is like doing away with the Hari Raya Idilfitri or Christmas holidays just because the people concerned are forbidden to celebrate in large gatherings following the implementation of SOPs.

Contrary to what Sanusi contends, cancelling the said holiday is indeed a denial of the rights of the Hindus to even celebrate at home with co-religionists on a smaller scale while observing social distancing at the same time.

Besides, maintaining Thaipusam’s status as a public holiday in Kedah is to uphold its official recognition by the state, which goes a long way towards celebrating our cultural diversity.

A political leader cannot afford to have a tunnel vision to the effect that he or she is less sensitive to the needs and rights of those outside of his or her tribe. This attitude obviously does not foster good ethnic and religious relations in a multiethnic and multi-religious Malaysia.

Equally serious, it is feared that such a parochial mindset among leaders could fuel religious extremism that, in turn, would further polarise our nation. It is a painful irony when followers of religions do not act as bridge-builders. 

Given the serious repercussions of Sanusi’s action, it is hoped that the bigwigs in his Islamist Pas party would rein him in so as to prevent further fallout. It would be disappointing, to say the least, if the party top leaders choose to look the other way as surely Islam does not condone such arrogance among its adherents. 

It is, of course, most disturbing if Sanusi’s action is, in many ways, indicative of his party’s ideological bent.

We can only hope that common sense will eventually prevail at the top level of leadership in Kedah. – January 24, 2021.