Crossing the red line on religious sensitivity is a big “no no" in Malaysia; that is why the current uproar over the viral video featuring the hosts of a popular radio station Era FM allegedly making jokes on Thaipusam, the holy Hindu festival, is not going to subside anytime soon – at least, not among the aggrieved Hindu community in the country!
In fact, a visibly shocked MIC deputy president M Saravanan seemed so incensed by it that he had immediately condemned the act as “brainless” and “disgraceful” before going on to slam the popular radio station for allowing such content to be created and shared while questioning the professionalism of its personnel.
The Tapah MP had also pointed out that it wasn't merely stupidity but a “blatant insult” and a “disgusting display of ignorance” and "disrespect” to the faith of Hindus in this country; he went on to urge the government to take immediate action against the radio station while insisting that it must issue a public apology.
For context, the video showed the individuals allegedly mimicking the sacred kavadi dance while chanting “Vel Vel” which is a sacred Hindu phrase.
Commenting on the same incident, former DAP strongman Prof P Ramasamy also did not mince words when he asserted that an apology alone would not suffice as the police must investigate and charge the three radio hosts involved; he further stressed that their action had violated the country's 3R (race, religion and royalty) ruling and added that Urimai, the rights organisation he leads, would be lodging police reports in several states.
Meanwhile, last Tuesday Astro Audio announced that the three Era FM radio DJs involved in the controversy had acknowledged their folly and had issued a public apology; it also said that those involved have been taken off the air pending an internal probe.
Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil had also confirmed that a full probe into the incident will be launched, while reassuring that the radio station's management will be summoned to provide an explanation.
Incidentally, to some, this latest incident may have evoked grim memories of the disturbing turn of events in the country last March when firebrand Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh had called for a boycott of KK Mart convenience stores nationwide over the “Allah” socks controversy.
Back then, Akmal had stressed that the boycott had nothing to do with politics and that it was to defend Islam against insult; he had also insisted that KK Mart's apology was insufficient and that…
No party should get away with a single apology for insulting religion!
Interestingly, while the KK Mart fiasco may have been due to a genuine oversight where the controversial socks with the sacred “Allah” word on it was wrongly displayed for sale in its outlet, in contrast, the recent incident at the popular radio station seemed to have been a deliberate act staged by the culprits brazenly to ridicule the holy ritual of another religion.
Coincidentally, both the incidents also took place in the holy month of Ramadan!
While the recent provocative incident may have sparked heated debate in the country, inadvertently, it would also have underscored the need for all parties (including businesses, both small and big) to be extra sensitive to the religious and cultural practices of others.
Lastly, no doubt, many will be waiting to see the “reaction” to this incident from those who often shamelessly project themselves as the “anointed” champions of their race and religion, and to whom values such as empathy, mercy and forgiveness may not exist.
Main information source: Scoop, FMT, Marketing Interactive.com, The Edge Malaysia, The Star and Facebook Prof P Ramasamy
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