LIVING in a country where the most professed religion is Islam, you are bound to know about the words puasa (fasting) and Ramadan. Ramadan is a fasting month for the Muslims before they celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Yet, in a multicultural and multi-confessional Malaysia, people seem to forget that Catholics also observe a fasting month. Like their counterparts elsewhere, Roman Catholics in Malaysia started their fasting month, a period of 40 days from Ash Wednesday (February 17) to Holy Saturday (April 4). These 40 days are known as bulan puasa for the Roman Catholics. 

Some people do not know that Catholics have a day of fasting and some of them might mistakenly believe that how the Catholics observe their bulan puasa is similar to the practice of their Muslims counterparts.

This year, the first day of Lent season falls on the sixth day of Chinese New Year. Usually, the Chinese community will visit relatives and friends on the sixth day of Chinese New Year.  For the Chinese communities, having meals together is the common way of celebrating too.

But for the Chinese Catholics who observe Lent during this festival season, it might be a bit awkward for them to inform the host that they are obligated to fast and abstain from meat on that day. Other than Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, those who observe Lent will become vegetarian or pescatarian during this period.

I believe that all religions have their own “fasting” practices. It just depends on which country you live in and what your beliefs entail.

In Malaysia, the common understanding of puasa in Malaysia is fasting from sunrise to sunset. Adherents have breakfast (sahur) early morning each day, and subsequently break their fast in the evening known as “berbuka puasa” for all the Muslim Malaysians who observe Ramadan. That is why most Malaysians mistakenly believe that the way Catholics puasa is the same as Muslims do in our country. 

Respect, mutual tolerance

When the Catholics hold the Friday Fast, it means that they abstain from flesh meat other than fish on Friday, too. In their 40 days’ observance, they will also choose to give up something during the Lenten period. 

For example, smokers may give up cigarettes, alcohol or others practise self-discipline by abstaining from things they “must have” or have to do every day like sweet stuff or any bad habit. This is the Catholics’ way of puasa that you may or may not notice among the Roman Catholics in the country.

Most of the time, ethnicity has been identified as a cause of conflict and social disharmony in a multi-ethnic country like Malaysia. However, sometimes people forget that conflict happens due to different religious beliefs and practices among the ethnic groups.

Religious beliefs, which are the source of moral and ethical foundation in society, must be duly respected through mutual tolerance and understanding. Generally, religious tolerance is important and it is essential in drawing people together as a way of building social harmony in the nation.    

Mutual effort

In Malaysia, Good Friday is a public holiday in Sabah and Sarawak for the Catholics to attend church services state-wide.

However, the Public Service Department said in 2019 that all Christian civil servants will be granted unrecorded leave for Good Friday except for public service officers in the states where Good Friday is already a public holiday. An initiative of this can be seen as a practice of respect and mutual effort from the government to maintain religious freedom in the country.   

Besides, the National Unity Action Plan (blueprint) 2021-2030, launched by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin last month, can also be a good place to start the tolerance conversation this country needs.

One of the three main objectives of the policy is to form a national identity with the character, patriotism, and the attitude of caring, tolerance, mutual respect and responsibility.

Although the blueprint is a common policy that outlines continuous efforts to nurture, strengthen and preserve the unity of the people, there is a need for a mutual effort of all stakeholders to maintain respect for one another’s religious beliefs and cultural practices.   

As Malaysians growing up in a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multireligious country, we should understand and respect our respective religious or cultural practices. 

Apart from the government’s unity policy, it is also better for us to take our own initiative to study and understand our various religions and cultures to reduce misunderstanding and conflicts.

We should also make more friends from different ethnic groups and religious beliefs in order to enhance unity and harmony of all ethnic groups and create a better Malaysia. – March 1, 2021.

* Esther Sinirisan Chong is a member of Agora Society. She was born and raised in the Land Below the Wind. Her research interest lies in education and government policies, and the history and heritage of East Malaysia.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.