I was told by an ex-Gerakan exco, a childhood friend and an old lady that Lim Guan Eng took the opportunity at the recent Wesak Day Procession to gave a long speech with political innuendoes.
I did not hear the speech but I was told that LGE talk about eradicating the Evil (implying UMNO) in this buddhist function. Please do not mix politics with religion. The organisors of the procession , many of them MCA and Gerakan members or supporters had given LGE the honour of making a short speech, it was inconsiderate to abuse the honour.
Yes, LGE was crafty and subtle in his political attack, but this is not the correct platform for advocating political views.
Some said LGE is a Christian, some said he is an unbaptized Christian (I don't really understand this term), some said he "Pai Ang Kong (Taoist)", some said he is a Buddhist, actually I do not really care. But, buddhists teaching focus on eradicating evil form within ourselves. Maybe, LGE should do that.
He also took the opportunity to get free applauses from the public by saying that the new Penang government will not demolished any legal places of worship....
When did the previous government demolished legal places of worship? Playing with words are his specialty. Yes, the previous Penang State Government did demolished illegal places of worship or extension. Can LGE assure the Penangites that he will not demolish illegal places of worship, I am sure he definitely can't. If he can, tell us so.
Next year, please be considerate and also keep to the time limit. Thousands of Penangites and tourists had to wait for a longer than the usual time frame to watch the late procession due to your long speech.
It was a day for goodwill not ill will.
18 comments:
The idea of separation of religion and politics is not relevant in Malaysia. Religion is even in our constitution and rukunnegara so how can politics be free from religion here.
It is alive considering DAP Perak had to concede the MB position to someone else because of race and religion.
Fishhook:
You are a Christian, for a Buddhist it is separated.
For the Muslim, it is not separated.
Politicians must respect each other religion.
But as you said, LGE craftily made his speech into general right vs wrong, good vs evil, which is in line with every religion's teachings. He also knows how to play it safe being a seasoned politician. If he makes specific mentions of political parties or politicians then it may be the wrong occasion. So the interpretation is still up to you whether you want to see it in a political context or just general rules to live by. As the CM, it is also his duty to advise his people on general right and wrong morality issues, otherwise he cannot be a role model.
Sly and cunning maybe but his approach is not wrong.
p/s: How did you know I'm Christian?
All definition based on Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English:-
1. crafty - cleverly deceitful, cunning
2. deceit - the quality of being dishonest
3. cunning - cleverness in deceiving.
4. deceive - to cause someone to accept as true or good what is false and bad, usually for a dishonest purpose.
5. sly
a. not telling others one's intentions or thoughts;having or showing a secretive nature
b. clever in deceiving; dishonestly tricky
So the words "crafty", "sly" and "cunning" means cleverness in causing someone to accept as true or false what is false and bad, usually with a dishonest purpose.
Do you think these are the values or natures of a person any religion would encourage?
In this particular situation, the end do not justifies the means.
As the CM, LGE have so many opportunities to convey his political message.
Can't he leave a few out?
Everyone assumed different roles at different times. That function called for a statesman not merely a politician.
Words of anger when spoken will lead to more anger.
When you mentioned that the organizers are some of them MCA and Gerakan members, you are also not separating religion with politics.
I am quite sure that if these Gerakan or MCA members who is organizing the event, they will have to put aside their political inclination but serve the event as a buddhist.
Whatever that LGE does, it will be a Karma for him. If he meant those things that he said with sincerity, he will attract good Karma. Likewise, if he try to win hearts by doing something insincere, he will attract bad karma.
Switching thoughts, from my observation, LGE does have its weaknesses that will turn against him in time to come. Just give him the space and you will see the results. One of his weaknesses is that he likes to express himself and while doing this, he takes swipe at others and make others look bad.
Let him have his way and the Rakyat will soon know what to do. By tapping him on his shoulder will only wake him up.
Patient will win at the end of the day.
Yes, I agreed with what you had said. He will reap what he had sown.
I am not a member of the organising committee. While many are MCA & Gerakan members or supporters, they had invited the CM to officiate the programme. That itself shows that they do not mixed religion with politics.
A person will assumed different roles/positions at different times or occasions.
For example, the same person can be a MCA political leader, an PTA chairman, a clan association adviser, an activist, a leader of a religious organization, etc.
The point I am trying to made is that a person may have political affiliation but that should not interfere with his responsibilities as a member of a religious organization. There are no conflict of interest if he understand his role. Of course, there maybe people who do not realize that they are assuming different roles/positions.
mixing politics & religion has always been a tradition in Malaysia.
Correct me if i'm wrong.
Yes, mainly for UMNO and PAS.
In Perak and Penang, the PR governments are trying to do that by attempting to change the head of the Islamic councils. It is the newspaper recently
We believe in the separation of the Judiciary, Legislative and Executive branches. While this "example is not really the same as what we are discussing now, it is a secular example that most can understand.
To explain why Buddhism should be separated from partisan politics is going to be a long Buddhist discourse. This is not a blog to teach Buddhism.
I am a Dhamma(religious) teacher, and have plan to start such a blog soon. It it have nothing to do with partisan politics. I will cover this in one of my postings when it start.
Please note, what I said in this post refer to Buddhism, not for other religions.
To be exact, the title should be "Mixing Partisan Politics with Buddhism".
Khoon Leng, you have defended yourself rather well. Don't want to enter into the polemics, but I support your views.
You have been very generous in pointing out to LGE how to be a stateman, a role he finds difficult to fulfil because he has no such intellect to be one.
Your best statement is that PAS and UMNO are mixing religion with politics and in government, that's why we are in trouble now and in the future. Those who are trying to defend LGE by emulating his action with that of UMNO and PAS are not doing LGE a service. Please wake up! I like the KARMA way of looking at LGE's problem.
anonymous, The fact that in Malaysia PAS and UMNO can mix religion with politics is because religion is in our constitution and rukunnegara. And unless these change, we would never be a truly secular country.
Had HLK chosen the title "Mixing Partisan Politics with Buddhism" from the start then it would have been totally different arguments focusing instead on what LGE said to Buddhists in a Buddhist event.
Reply to fishhook,
Religion is not in our Rukun Negara. Don't be misled by those politician.
"Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan", the Tuhan here means Gods for all religion. It never refer to the only Al-Mighty in Islam.
err... I said religion is in rukunnegara. I did not say Islam is in rukunnegara.
When there is a believe in God (Tuhan), then some faith/religion is invoked, whatever the religion may be. As such, Malaysia is not a Godless nation (secular nation).
I am digressing a bit, any non-Muslim can registered himself as a Free Thinker if he want to do that, just go to the nearest National Registration Department.
Do this mean that for the non-Muslim, Malaysia is secular and for the Muslim, our country is Islamic.
We have 2 court systems, the judiciary system that we a familiar with and of course the Sharia Courts.
Can a secular and an Islamic state exist at the same time??? (Just a fleeting thought only)
Few years back Mahatir said Malaysia is an islamic state, DAP protested aloud, MCA protested a bit, but Gerakan supported it. Shameful Gerakan.
Later in parliament when Kit Siang protested, Jerai UMNO MP said those who dont agree that Malaysia is an Islamic state to 'keluar dari Malaysia'.
Where was Gerakan MPs-hiding behind MCA's skirt. In fact, Lee Kah Choon recently revealed that Koh Tsu Koon usually instructs all Gerakan YBs not to argue with UMNO, then they will take over the CM position in Penang. No wonder the penang brave citizens voted out every single Gerakan traitors.
Baca ini:
# Putera Fulus Says:
April 13th, 2008 at 15: 15.15
YB LKS,
Seharusnya isu Negara Islam ini tidak lagi diperbincangkan. MCA/GERAKAN/DAP termakan dengan dakyah jahat UMNO terhadap konsep negara islam. Jika orang Cina sensitif dengan isu dengan negara Islam. Orang Melayu Islam pun sensitif dengan konsep Malaysian Malaysia yang dicanang DAP dan hak samarata dalam hal agama. Itu tak termasuk isu BABI di Selangor yang tercetus gara-gara tindakan terdesak YB Teresa untuk memancing sokongan orang cina. Tetapi kenapa YB LKS tidak melihat betapa universalnya YB PAS di Selangor dalam menyokong projek ini. Sehinggakan kalau dilihat hampir majoriti laman Blog Penyokong PAS menyokong projek ini. Adakah YB LKS tidak dapat membandingkan kebaikan islam yang ditonjolkan oleh Parti PAS atau masih ditutup dengan kelemahan Islam Hadhari ciptaan UMNO. YB kena ingat kalau PAS gagal menangani isu ini dikalangan orang Melayu dan Islam. Tidak mustahil pilihanraya akan datang Selangor dan Perak akan jatuh ketangan BN kembali. Jesteru itu janganlah terlampau lantang dengan memainkan isu negara islam hingga melukakan perasaan rakan sendiri. Saya sendiri pun tak akan undi DAP sekiranya tanpa sokongan dan keyakinan yang diberikan PAS terhadap DAP. Saya juga percaya pengundi Melayu islam lain turut mempunyai pendapat yang sama dengan saya. Dalam Pilihanraya lepas Pemimpin Pas telah menyarankan kami agar undi DAP untuk melawan kezaliman BN. Harap YB faham permintaan kami janganlah disensasikan lagi perkara ini.
I am closing comment for this post. I prefer no name-calling or vulgarities for this post. Unfortunately, some commentators have a long way to go before they can comment constructively.
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