In Defense of YBs Khalid Samad, Dr Dzul,TGNA and Nizar.

The Star Online today published what I think is a mischievous article here. In my humble opinion,it depicts YB Khalid Samad as either 'being forced to' or 'summoned' to the palace to be 'put in his place' by the Sultan. 'Embattled' was how Christina Tan chose to paint YB Khalid, but is he really embattled? I have not heard calls for his resignation reigning loudly other than from official UMNO mouthpieces.Its irritating to see The Star report the matter as though NGOs were leading the charge against YB Khalid today, when a Google search reveals a Star Report, just months ago, that the leader of the so-called Belia Bersatu Shah Alam chairman,Azahari Shaari,and the UMNO Youth Head of Shah Alam is one and the same person. Not surprisingly, En Azahari was also one of the four UMNO Youth leaders who mobbed YB Karpal and was fined a measly RM 1,000 for disrepecting Parliament, an elected representative, and a disabled person all at once.See Here
 
The way I see it,UMNO has taken extra pains to nail three PAS MPs- Dr Dzul, Khalid Samad and Ir Nizar.Now, they are attempting to take down Tuan Guru Nik Aziz as well. The reason is quite obvious- these are the MPs that the non Muslims have warmed up to.YB Khalid Samad has been labelled 'Khalid Gereja' for entering the church of Divine Mercy in his capacity as the MP for all residents of Shah Alam.Just because the previous MPs from BN never bothered to visit the church, YB Khalid's simple action earned him instant popularity among most Catholics in the country.So in all honesty, Pakatan MPs have an unfair advantage over BN. The overwhelming insensitivity and racism practised by many BN leaders have caused minorities like the Catholics, Sikhs and such, to hunger for simple actions and words to feel that they too, are a part of Malaysia.Back to the Khalid Gereja issue, what exactly is wrong with visiting a church?If it is wrong,what about the rightly guided Caliph Ali? History tells us not only did he visit the church, he ordered its reconstruction, and funded it!  Even till today, the keys to the Church is held by two Muslim families,the family of Nuseibeh and another family, the Juebehs.The current key holder is one Mr Wajeeh Nuseibeh, you can actually call him if you would like to visit the Church.His phone number is 02-6285910 from Jerusalem.So is Mr Nuseibeh, who is acting on an old, multiple generational command by Caliph Ali , also a Wajeeh Jaga Gereja? Mind you, the Church of the Holy Sepulchure is a much more popular church than the Church of the Divine Mercy.
 
If Khalid is Khalid Gereja, can Najib be called Najib Gereja, now that he has visited Metro Tabernacle?Or could he labelled a step higher, Najib Pembina Gereja, as he also donated 500,000 ringgit to a new building for that church. What about Ir Nizar? If he is accused to be a tool of the Ngeh-Nga cousins, what about Dr Mah? Can Dr Mah be considered a puppet of the Zambry-Hamidah Osman team?At least with Pakatan, there was a balance in power, and all races were represented in the government. I, unfortunately cannot say the same about the current 'government' of the day in Perak.This name calling,that I see as part of a concerted effort to 'burn PAS' bridges' with the non Muslims, hopefully fails.Not so much for political reasons alone, but for the sake of national unity. Never would I have dreamed the day before March 8th, 2008, that I would see the picture of a Muslim religious teacher being worn by templegoing Hindu youth in a t-shirt. If that is not religious acceptance, I don't know what is. Granted, the acceptance mentioned has its roots in political reasons, but in the end, the end is more important than the means, no? Some people see an oppressed citizen idolizing someone who stood up for him. Some see an ignorant youth who does not know what exactly he is wearing, just following the hype. But I see a non Muslim, truly  recognizing and accepting that a Muslim religious spiritual teacher is a good man,and worthy to lead him.All this, I believe was a direct result, rightly or wrongly, directly or indirectly, of the political tsunami of 308.
 
It is said that the strongest of relationships is forged only after thorough and difficult,strenous tests. And I believe that the new generation of PAS leaders have been been weighed, measured and judged enough to say they truly stand up for the minority, as what I would like to believe a good believer of any religion should do.And that, in today's Malaysia, is something to cheer about.

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