Interreligious Committee

The BN Government have finally agreed to set up an Interreligious (IR) Committee under the Minister in charge of National Unity, Tan Sri Koh Tsu Khoon. The Committee which comprises representatives from various religious organisations like IKIM, MCCBCHST etc provides a useful forum for exchange of religious knowledge, discussion and ironing out problems and differences arising from interrelgious marriages, conversion, divorce and custody of children etc.

The said Committee in my view is long overdue. Nonetheless, it is better to be late than never.

As I see it, there already exists a IR wheel which is rotating or running on very smoothly for more than a decade; that is, the MCCBCHST. In order to get on with the tasks ahead, all that is needed is to nominate a respresentative from Islam to be a member of the Majlis. Reinventing another wheel takes time and may not be functioning as well as the Majlis.

As I see it, the IR Committee should not be too large in membership otherwise it will end up just another number game and it will fail in the end .

The primary objective of the Committee must be well-defined and focused. It should not operate as another political society or grouping. The IR Committee for effect must be action-oriented; that is to help deal with and solve many of the multireligious problems facing the people in Malaysia.

It is a good start and the Government should be lauded for the initiative. But, whoever participates in the IR Committee, he must come in with an open mind and not with an ulterior motive to grind.

No sooner was the Committee formed than a bucket of cold cold water being splashed at it by the DPM Muyiddin who said that the grouping had no power to effect any changes or on Islam as a religion. If that being the case, then the efforts of the Committee would be futile and a waste of good time. If the voice of the grouping was not going to be significant, why had it formed in the first place? There is what BN is damn good at it. Say one thing and negate it the next moment.

Come on steady lah. If the blokes up there at the helm cannot see by now the serious problems and confusions that you and your stupid ideas about religion have caused, then, you are not fit to govern. You are just not sincere. And, the masses are watching you. If you cannot make a small decision on such matter like interrelgious dialogue, then what is the use of coming out with big ideas like 1 Malaysia and NEM when you do not mean what you say?

I really look forward that the Committee meets soonest and make a representation to the PM and clarify the situation. The matter has to be settled otherwise ten years down the road, one will find nothing is changed for the betterment of society. Don't let the Committee be another NATO or another group of unprepared appointed by the unwilling to do the unnecssary.