JOHOR BARU, May 28 — Johor Baru Umno Youth has condemned a “buka puasa” event that will be organised at a Sikh gurdwara here later today, claiming it was insensitive to Muslims.
Its chief Hairi Mad Shah said his party also criticised Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasrullah Nasir’s decision to attend the event.
“Umno Youth understands YB Akmal’s desire to foster unity among multiracial communities, but what he is doing is not right.
“In Islam, Ramadan is considered a holy month, the month of Allah SWT. Is it proper for this noble month that Muslims are brought to break fast in a gurdwara?” questioned Hairi in a statement today.
Hairi, who is also the Johor Umno Youth chief, explained that there are many more places that Akmal can hold the breaking fast event, such as in a mosque, surau, orphanage, old folks home and also in his own parliamentary service centre.
“He can invite multiracial and religious communities to break fast together, no problem.
“But inviting Muslims to break fast at other religious worship centres by a Muslim MP is extremely unfortunate.
“What more, when Muslims are in the last 10 days of Ramadan,” said Hairi.
He said efforts to strengthen and nourish the spirit of unity among the people in the country which are of various races, religions and beliefs should not be realised with such a practice.
Hairi said he hoped Akmal could be more sensitive to the matter so as not to affect the faith of Muslims.
“I hope that the programme’s venue be changed or cancelled to maintain the good name of the gurdwara,” he said.
Earlier today, Akmal defended his decision to hold a multicultural iftar programme in a Sikh religious compound, following criticisms by certain Muslims on social media.
The PKR politician, who was also labelled as crazy over the programme, explained that he chose a non-Muslim locale for the breaking of fast programme this evening because firstly, it is a multicultural event and secondly, it would be held in a community hall separate from the Sikh worship area.
The event, titled “Majlis Iftar Muhibbah Bersama YB Akmal Nasrullah Nasir”, is scheduled to be held at the Johor Baru Sikh Gurdwara Sahib from 6.30pm today.
Checks by Malay Mail confirmed that Akmal will go ahead with the scheduled Iftar programme.
