Haris Ibrahim and Wong Chin Huat, with moderator Khairy Jamaluddin. The topic - Racial and Religious Harmony: Understanding the ‘Allah’ Issue. The discussion was fast and furious with lots of incisive points raised, yet all the while not a single raised voice nor threat. This is the nature of dialogues we need. Now why can't Parliament take a cue from this?Haris went on the offensive. "The Federal Constitution is clear on all this. What we have failed to do is to uphold the Constitution in a dignified, unbiased manner." With regards to Islamic matters, Haris added "it has never been in the government's interest to nurture a mature and enlightened Muslim community"; the proof is all around us.With regards to Islamic matters, Haris added "it has never been in the government's interest to nurture a mature and enlightened Muslim community"; the proof is all around us.
Wong Chin Huat believes the issue is made more complicated because "religion has been appropriated to define the ethnic boundary of the Malays". At the end of the day, he added, it is less about Islam than it is about this ethnic boundary - what's inside and what's outside of it. Why is this boundary made sacrosanct is the more interesting question, he proposed.
UMNO Youth chief Khairy was a skilled moderator, totally at ease with the civil society audience. The controversial figure threw hard questions at the panelists, pulled up with well-timed humour, shared his own difficulties at constituency level, and involved the audience very well. "Many of these counter-arguments I'm making are the very responses I get when I'm in Rembau - they ask me, "Why do they have to use Allah? Why can't they see we're hurt?"
"Funny, because in Pahang, I experienced the opposite," replied Haris. "I've met with Muslim farmers there in the ladang and kebun... explained to them that the Bahasa-speaking Christians - without invoking Allah in their rituals as they've done for generations - they feared their prayers would be nullified, as in Islam. Their reply: 'Molek.' Beautiful. See, those I have met have no issues.
"It's about how it is presented. The Utusan way isn't the way."
The biggest laughter came with the final question from Khairy, who asked half-farcically: "Now, tell me, is 1Malaysia the best thing that ever happened since Merdeka?"
Chin Huat: "Well, I generally don't trust politicians. For me, the public needs to view them like pets. You have to train them or they will go wild on you. It's just like having a dog, you know. Put it through a training regime, then it will serve you well." (Ouch... the man can bite!)
Haris: "Where's the sincerity? You say 1Malaysia, but the nation is still divided into bumiputra and non-bumiputra."
Khairy: "But Haris, aren't you a bumiputra yourself?"
Haris: "I'm not a bumiputra. I'm an Anak Bangsa Malaysia."SABM had a little souvenir for KJ just before he left - our T-shirt which says Semua Anak Kita. 'Ngapa Harus Beza?
That's Mila there posing with the man who said, during the forum, he's staying with UMNO to help in its reforms.
We wish you well.
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