M.Krishnamoorthy
A media coach, adjunct professor and author
"Just stop it. To create unrest in the name of power, politics, and self-interest is evil. It is hard to believe they are done in the name of faith and spirituality, which you'd like us to believe,” says Professor Sharifah Munirah Alatas in her Hari Raya message on her Facebook page.
A consistent, passionate, and no-nonsense political commentator said: “Many of us are disgusted by the current slew of deviant politicians who lord over us. We are equally horrified at so many others among the public who have no mind of their own.
“They are easily influenced. They are mentally phlegmatic, apathetic, and lazy. They have shown how easy it is to be mentally manipulated. They are swayed by the deviant thinking of these so-called ‘defenders of Islam’,” says Dr Munirah, Former Visiting Professor, Faculty of Social Science at Indonesian International Islamic University.
In her “Selamat Hari Raya” message, she states, “Stop it. Don’t be deliberately STUPID. It goes against the fundamental teachings of Islam.”
“May Allah forgive all of you and guide the deviants back to the path of reform. The country needs reforms, not stupidity.”
Dr Sharifah Munirah Alatas recently retired after an academic career at the Strategic Studies & International Relations Department, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Her research mainly focuses on geopolitics, foreign policy and decolonial International Relations theory.
In greeting Malaysians, “Selamat Hari Raya”, here is how she penned her message.
Dear Fellow Malaysians,
Islam (and all religions) is about kindness and forgiveness.
But lately, certain Malaysian Muslims have been deliberately unkind and unforgiving. They have tarnished the good name of Islam.
They have brought extreme anxiety to those of us who represent the compassion of Islam and humanity.
Those of us who live our lives in moderation and inclusiveness, who accommodate difference, and work towards “saving” Malaysia’s social vibrancy and plurality will keep striving, DESPITE you.
But it has been tough amidst all these distractions and irritations.
Apart from transgressing kindness and forgiveness, you errant Malaysian Muslims (and too many among our leadership) have desecrated Allah’s fundamental message to humanity.
You have deliberately rejected reason and rationality.
In other words, to be deliberately STUPID goes against the fundamental teachings of Islam.
Lastly, the string of recent events in the country has further divided the nation along ethno-religious lines. Evil politicians instigated these.
Enabling such events during the month of Ramadhan is unconscionable.
Selamat Hari Raya
Freelance Writer M. Krishnamoorthy (www.imkrishna.net) is a media coach, adjunct professor and undercover journalist. He has freelanced with Bernama, NST, The Star, and Malaysiakini. He also freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian Television networks and the New York Times. As an undercover journalist, he has highlighted society's concerns.
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