It was highly improper for Ramasamy to denounce Anwar’s visit to Batu Caves during Thaipusam

It was highly improper for Ramasamy to denounce Anwar’s visit to Batu Caves during Thaipusam


13 Feb 2025 • 1:30 PM MYT


TheRealNehruism
Writer. Seeker. Teacher

Image credit: Focus Malaysia


I don’t think it is proper for the former Deputy Chief Minister of Penang Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy to criticise PMX Anwar in the manner that he showed up to the Thaipusam celebration in Batu Caves and I would like to insist that Ramasamy’s discontent with the manner that Anwar paid his respect to the Thaipusam celebration is his own personal view – it doesn’t reflect the views of the Indians in general.


Ramasamy is an Indian. Anwar is a Malay. Thaipusam is an Indian celebration.


Considering that, Ramasamy should have acted like a good host and honoured Anwar as guest of our function, in tune with the way that a host is expected to honour their guest according to Indian culture.


When you invite a guest to your celebration and they come to your celebration upon your invitation, you should be gracious, and not complain about the way they came, especially when they have done nothing to cause you any offense.


That Ramasamy was complaining about Anwar’s dress, entourage and duration of visit, as well as comparing Anwar’s visit unfavourably to Najib’s visit previously, is frankly speaking, in transgression to the rules of hospitality or and the proper way of felicitating one’s guest according to the Indian culture.


If Najib chose to come wearing a dhoti on the day of Thaipusam and stayed for a longer duration, while Anwar chose to come wearing a Malay outfit a few days before Thaipusam and staying just for 30 minutes, that is their respective choices. It is not offensive to us, so why take a grievance against it.


It is also very improper for Ramasamy to criticise Anwar for coming with Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo by speaking condescendingly about Deo’s visit, by saying that his presence contributed little to the occasion. Deo is also a guest. Why sour his visit unnecessarily?


Our culture doesn’t teach us to place demands on those who visit us. As a matter of fact, our culture actually teaches us to honour and felicitate our guests, even if they came with an empty hand, visited us at an inopportune time or commit an unforced error during their visit.


Thaipusam is not about politics.


Whatever grievances that Ramasamy has on Anwar in the political sphere, he should not use Thaipusam to carry out his politics by other means.


Rather, as an Indian leader and elder, he should have set a better example to the next generation, by expressing his appreciation to Anwar, for felicitating our celebration, without judging the way that Anwar chose to felicitate our celebration.


If Ramasamy truly couldn’t bring himself to say anything gracious about Anwar’s visit, he should have at least opted for silence, rather than make a guest of ours, regret that they felicitated our function.

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kt comments:

My matey Nehru has a way with words, wakakaka, but he's spot on in that the Host must be gracious and welcoming rather than be bitchy about the dress of the guest or the duration of the guest's visit.