Congratulations to Mr. Steven Gan of malaysiakini for being awarded and thus
recognised as a truly professional journalist
I have been following the numerous
write-ins, articles and comments in malaysiakini. What strike me as strange is that, there
would sometimes be non-muslim contributors in the readers' column that spoke freely about
Islam, giving comments and such.
I suspect that most of these writers do not have
any idea to what they were writing. I think this is very unfair - to talk about something
that you do not know about. I have been commenting in my own letters to the editor of
malaysiakini to have some restraint and respect for the muslims.
It bleeds our
heart to see non-muslims making nonchalant and disrespectful remarks about topics they do
not know at all. I am making this plea again to the editor to be more sensitive to the
other muslim readers. What stike me as strange too is that we have yet to read or see any
comments that degrading the practices the Buddha preached, or the beliefs that the Hindus
hold sacred in their lives and hearts. Are these teachings so flawless that they do not
raise any fluke at all? Or, are they misguided too but they seem less threatening compared
to as what the teachings in Islam getting "distorted" by Nik Aziz [for
example]?? Double standard, anyone?
"Freedom of speech" would come into
the many minds as they may be reading this. Yes, but the issue of sensitivity should also
comes into minds when we are talking about the religion millions are embracing around the
world.
I also fully agreed and felt a little avenged after reading Maheran
Mossadeq's email sent to harakahdaily. Criticise all you want, readers, but like the
Malays alway say 'biarlah bertempat'. Ask and clarify before you want to comment on things
you DON'T KNOW.
Maybe the saying which goes " people fear things they do not
know" holds water for the Islam-bashing in Malaysia....
Ummi Nasuha
