KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has joined the wave of disapproval against the PAS-led Kedah government’s move to cancel the Thaipusam public holiday on January 28, stressing that it is an important day for Hindus.
"Malaysian states have declared Thaipusam a public holiday for decades. Even though the movement control order (MCO) has affected Thaipusam, there is no need to cancel the holiday," he said in a Facebook post today.
Referring to the national slogan of "1Malaysia" adopted by the federal government when he led the country, he urged states to maintain Thaipusam as a public holiday, given that Hindus can still observe and celebrate the religious occasion at home.
“Let us just maintain this tradition. We are 1Malaysia,” he said.
The decision by the state government has left a bitter taste among members of Malaysia's Hindu community and Indian political leaders from both sides of the divide.
Kuala Langat MP Datuk Xavier Jayakumar described the move as reckless, saying it goes against the Malaysian spirit.
The PKR vice-president said the decision by Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor clearly shows that the PAS leader has no understanding of Thaipusam.
He said the move is baffling, given that none of PAS' previous state governments have ever made such a drastic call.
"Thaipusam as it is not just about procession and temple gatherings, but a day of prayer and penance devoted to Lord Muruga. All of this can still be observed at home, just like Hari Raya," Xavier said in a statement.
An extremist?
Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy, meanwhile, took the criticism a step further by questioning Sanusi's sanity, saying he has “gone crazy”.
"If the Kedah menteri besar is not an extremist, then what is he?” he said on Facebook.
The Penang DAP vice-chairman said Sanusi cannot tell the difference between a public holiday and the cancellation of events associated with it.
In other words, the public holiday can be maintained although devotees are not allowed to participate in Thaipusam events, he said.
"Yes, devotees might not have the luxury of enjoying the events and mass prayers in temples, but January 28, 2021, is, nonetheless, Thaipusam," he added.
Ramasamy then questioned whether Sanusi would proceed to cancel other holidays, like Chinese New Year, and took to task PAS' ability to respect Malaysia's diverse population.
"Is this the way that PAS respects the multiracial and multi-religious character of Malaysia?"
Election problems
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan also slammed Sanusi's decision, despite the fact he is part of the coalition government allied with PAS.
The MIC deputy president said the move clearly displays bias and ignorance towards Hindus.
"I realise that the Thaipusam holiday is a state prerogative, unlike other national public holidays, but coming out with such a ruling shows the arrogance of the PAS-led government in Kedah," Saravanan said in a statement.
He reminded Sanusi that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration is made up of various parties, including PAS, and that such a decision requires the consultation of other component parties, including MIC.
"Any decision such as that announced today must be consulted with the Indian representative in the federal government, which is MIC," he added.
He also said such a move would hurt the ruling coalition in the next general election, "as this wound will be hard to heal". – The Vibes, January 21, 2021
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