Academic suggests PAS educates members on Chinese names

Academic suggests PAS educates members on Chinese names


Published: Jan 28, 2025 11:31 PM


Summary

• Academic Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi agrees with PAS that Malaysia's diversity and mutual respect are important.

• He hopes that the party would educate its members on Chinese names.

• The architecture professor also suggests a refresher course on the values of forgiveness by Prophet Muhammad.

Academic Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi said while PAS' Chinese New Year message came across more as a cautionary note than a celebratory one, he agreed with its secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan's sentiment that Malaysia's diversity is its cornerstone, sustained by mutual respect among different races and faiths.

“I would hope that certain parties take this to heart and perhaps, run courses for its followers about the history and meaning of names in the Chinese community so that none of its members mistakes a communist leader’s family name with hard-working politicians in our country or a minister’s name with a business tycoon,” he told Malaysiakini today.

Tajuddin (above) was referring to two cases involving PAS leaders: Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad, who lost a defamation suit for linking three DAP MPs to the communist leader Chin Peng, and Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria who falsely claimed that Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh is the daughter of business tycoon, the late Yeoh Tiong Lay.

The architecture professor also hoped that “certain parties” that claim to “honour and fight” for Islam would conduct a refresher course on the values of forgiveness by Prophet Muhammad.

“For example, in the Ta’if incident as well as the value of honouring non-Muslims in helping the Muslims like the case of the prophet and Abu Talib, his uncle, and the Christian King Negus who single-handedly saved many Muslims from massacre,” he added.

Remember past alliance?

Recalling the previous camaraderie between PAS and DAP, Tajuddin urged the parties to reflect on the reformasi era where alliances were made and respect was offered to political adversaries.

“Takiyuddin and PAS would be better leaders to lead Malaysia if only they would learn to swallow their own remedies for others.

“In fact, all of us should also do the same judging by the many cruel comments I have read criticising the unity government by civil society and media personalities.

“We should take our own medicine if we were to prescribe them so easily,” he added.

PAS and DAP, two parties with diametrically opposed ideologies, formed alliances on two separate occasions following the dismissal of Anwar Ibrahim as deputy prime minister in 1998.

They first collaborated under the Barisan Alternatif coalition from 1998 to 2001, and later under Pakatan Rakyat, the predecessor to Pakatan Harapan, from 2008 to 2015.

Since then, relations between the two parties have soured. Meanwhile, a PAS splinter group, Amanah, joined Harapan under Anwar’s leadership, who ultimately became the prime minister after the last general election.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan


In PAS’ Chinese New Year message, Takiyuddin said recent controversies involving Islam would not have occurred if all parties respected each other's sensitivities.

"Taking matters lightly, acting arbitrarily, or undermining the legitimate interests and perspectives of others is entirely contrary to the Malaysian identity of mutual respect and cannot be justified,” the former law minister added.