Home Ministry defends stamp on Al-Kitab - 110322

Home Ministry defends stamp on Al-Kitab - 110322

Home Ministry defends stamp on Al-Kitab


http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/158895



By Election Fan: "I am hearing all sorts of talk, about the size of the stamp, the colour of the ink... if they want to find fault they will find fault... you can even say the Bibles are smelly after being kept for so long," said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

Listen to how a minister from a racist party is "respecting" the holy book of another religion. Sarawakians and Sabahan people, please listen up. You ask for further insult if you are to allow this kind of leaders in the federal government in next general elections.

Pants on Fire: Your comments are very stupid indeed. Was the example of smell necessary here? It's very, very unnecessary indeed to use such words when referring to the Bible. We won't forgive you for this.

Jazz Singer: "Even the al-Quran has serial numbers on them," said Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam.

I have yet to see this on any of Quran he referred to. Does the Quran placed in hotel rooms have serial numbers? If not, why? If yes, which copies have them? Also do they also have the stamp as in the Bibles?

The funny thing is that the government wants the Malay language to be used widely, to be spoken, written and read, but they scorn and ban the Bible, which is following government policy. Does this also mean that the Ramayana, and the texts of other religions, cannot be translated in Malay?

Freemsia: I am a Christian. I have a total of four Bibles in my home. I also have a copy of the Quran. None of them have a stamp. When the Home Minister is caught with his pants down, he should at least own up to it than to continue with other statements that make him even more ridiculous.

Brahman: If this was done to the Quran, what reaction would Hishammuddin expect to receive? Be sensitive - being elected does not mean one have the right to do whatever one wants.

Malaysian First, Malaysian Always: Smelly bible? So this is the 1Malaysia, huh?

Singa Pura Pura: Take a look at The Star's report on the same matter. It appears that all references to the Bibles as being possibly 'smelly' have been carefully omitted.

Whilst I am prepared to concede that the editor of a publication is always in the best position to evaluate and balance out all the relevant facts concerning a particular report as against its consequences, it seems to me that The Star has gone out of its way to 'protect' the home minister from the public or to 'protect' the public from the home minister.

Either way, the report was unduly circumspective considering the present stage at which this nation finds itself. The report has, rightly or wrongly, but more likely wrongly than rightly, sought to temper the hard truth and accuracy of public utterances with a heavy balance of self-effacing censorship. Self-regulation is, of course, not inherently evil. In this case, however, it seems that The Star is still stuck in second gear in Operasi Lalang mode.

If the home minister has managed, either through personal obtusity or customary tastelessness, to infuriate Malaysian Christians, then, dear Lord, let it be. The consequence must lie where it falls. Surely, it is not the position of a national daily to constantly ameliorate the public utterances of a senior minister when the nation is at its most critical crossroad.

Is it not time enough to call a spade a spade, and not pretend that it is a ladle? Or as Ong CJ Malaya (possibly the most revered member to have sat on our bench) once said: "Calling a spade a pickaxe does not alter the character of that agricultural implement."

Paul Warren: Sorry, Hisham. Motivated by your Islamic interests, you've touched on something you had no business touching.

Lover Boy: Hishammuddin, you and PM Najib Razak are both old boys from the St John Institution, a Christian brothers' school. Did the La Salle brothers not teach you to respect other religions, and in this case the Christian faith?

You are a lawyer by training, having a master's from the London School of Economics, so you are suppose to be a smart chap.

Now coming back to this stamping of the Al Kitab issue. You referred to stamping as an amalan (practice), so you follow the amalan. Can you tell us exactly what is the 1982 amalan about the stamping of the Al Kitab? Does that include putting a serial number? Is that the 1982 amalan or you have just cooked up another amalan?

Your choice of language is a far cry from the type of upbringing and education you had. Referring to the Al Kitab as smelly is not proper. You have now downgraded yourself to the types like Ibrahim Ali and the likes.

Lonestar: The home minister takes the cake with his "smelly Bibles" comment. With such a band of ministers like Hishammuddin and Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz and Peter Chin, Najib needs no enemies to see BN consigned to the garbage pit of expired band of political parties.

Anak Bangsa Malaysia: Hishammuddin, you are the home minister and you utter words that are derogatory. Is there a 'smelly' Quran like you said of the 'smelly' Al-Kitab? Shame on you for saying that. God's wrath is coming to you like a lightning you will not expect.

Sandakan: Where the heck do you store the Bibles that they can be considered 'smelly'? In the toilets? Hishammuddin, you are a disgrace to your family.

The Christians want their Bibles released without defacement. Did they agree to the defacement when they wanted it released? Did you inform the Christians that the Bibles will be defaced if they wanted them released.

They were kept for years and nothing was done. When they were ordered released, you had them defaced within days. You are unfit even to jaga kereta (watch cars).

Zz2XX: The only thing that is stinking is you and the racist party you belong to - Umno.