On 3rd Sept 09 I was in seat 41H on SQ860. There was a stench of sewage from the toilet two rows behind me. I knew it would take a long time to find the cause of the stench and eliminate it. I needed to get to Hong Kong on time. I would tolerate the stench for three and a half hours.
I began reading the (Singapore) Straits Times. A report about Malaysia’s Home Minister, YB Hishamuddin’s remarks about the 28th August cow head incident caught my attention. The headline was “Cow head protest ‘not organisers fault.’” I read it over and over again. The Minister had met the protesters behind closed-doors and decided there will be no legal action. In his public remarks after the meeting, he had referred to an earlier pig head incident.
Was the Home Minister implying it’s now okay to march without a police permit, it’s okay to vent publicly? Was he implying people will no longer be detained let alone prosecuted if they attend candle-light vigils or wear black T-shirts? Was he implying it’s okay to debate the use of public funds for constructing religious buildings? Were his messages for all citizens or only for some?
When we hear of events such as the cow head incident we examine others’ responses to know whether they diverge from our own; we also consider how they frame the incident – especially by the comparisons they make – and thereby try to influence/inflame others. We expect leaders who comment on sensitive issues to always use a carefully prepared script. We know implicitly that those who fail to do so are egomaniacal, immature or guilty of great negligence.
I offer the results (subject to correction) of my examination of YB Hishamuddin’s remarks.
(1) The Home Minister will intentionally meet with those who should be under investigation.
(2) The Home Minister’s notes will be inaccessible to prosecutors and defence attorneys.
(3) The Home Minister will act as judge and jury; not the public organs of justice.
(4) The Home Minister will “spin” the event by deciding which previous incidents are relevant.
(5) The Home Minister will act at Home without any concern about our global voice.
In the interest of brevity, I will only comment on a couple of the above points.
Spin. We learn where our heads are by what we bring up as comparisons to frame events. The Minister brought up a pig head. I thought of a Sultan who gave his beloved physician land upon which to build a temple. I thought of the BN Selangor government deleting a playground to build a mosque. I thought it pertinent that the temple to be relocated is 150 years old, and is causing hardship to it’s current, relatively new, neighbours.
Global interests. The Minister’s remarks have put me in a poor place with respect to the rights I think my Muslim friends in Australia, Europe, USA, etc. have to build mosques. If some of the mosque’s potential neighbours are “upset,” does that mean mosques should not be built?
Yesterday, my scripture reading took me to Paul’s letter to the Colossians. I was struck by this: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Empty Deceit. The Minister said the trouble was caused by the opposition government and some media. I think such events will occur regardless of who is in the ascendancy. I place the blame on a 52 year tradition of race-based politics and government control of the media.
I was flying Singapore Airlines (SQ) because I’ve had many disappointments on Malaysia Airlines. SQ too has it’s faults, but I exercise my right to choose whose faults I will tolerate. The people of Selangor chose PKR over the BN. The people exercised their right to choose.
Just as I expect SQ to do something about the stench of sewage, I expect the elected representatives in Selangor to do something about the cow head trouble. I am saddened that YB Hishamuddin – also an elected representative – appears to think I should agree the stench the BN continues to emanate is desirable, just because he says so.
I can tolerate a stench for three and a half hours. Not for 52 years and more.
The Micah Mandate is a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of our nation through justice, mercy and humility.
