KUCHING: Criticising the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to set polling day on a Sunday is baiting racial and religious hatred, said former Sarawak Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman Abdul Karim Hamzah.
“I’m very amused by how the Opposition has politicised the polling date as being disrespectful to Christians. It reflects their negative mentality,” said Karim, who after the 2011 Sarawak Election was made assistant minister.
“They just want to oppose (for the sake of opposing). I mean no disrespect to Christianity and Christians. I fully believe the Christian Sunday mass and prayer services must be given due respect.
“Prayer services don’t take a whole day. One can go for Sunday mass and after that fulfil one’s duty as a citizen by going to vote,” Karim told The Star yesterday.
The EC on Wednesday announced April 20 as nomination day and May 5 as polling day. The announcement has largely attracted comments on the longer-than-expected 15-day campaign period. However, others have criticised polling day being on a Sunday.
Members of the Opposition and also a university lecturer whom The Star spoke to on Wednesday said Sunday was a poor choice, which could be misinterpreted as being insensitive to Christians.
Karim said polling day had fallen on Sunday before in Malaysia, “in the general election of 1986 (August 3), 1990 (Oct 21) and 2004 (March 21)”.
“We have had Sunday polling days before and nobody made a fuss then. As for the state election in Sarawak, it was also on a Sunday in 1996.
“For goodness sake, put aside this kind of negative mentality and help promote harmony by calling all Malaysians to go out to vote. There is ample time to fulfil one’s duty to God and to the nation.
“I just feel anything that can incite religious hatred should be avoided. This country is for us to share and look after.”
Christianity in Malaysia is a minority religion practised by about 9% of the population, according to the census.
By percentage, there are more Christians in Sarawak and Sabah compared to in Peninsula Malaysia.
In Sarawak, about 40% of locals are Christians while in Sabah, the figure stands at about 25%.
No comments:
Post a Comment