Takaful Fatwa - Zainuddin Maidin Raps Corporate Ayatollah Over Issue On Deepavali Greeting.
Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin Friday rapped a Takaful Malaysia officer for issuing an e-mail banning the company's staff from wishing Hindus Happy Deepavali.
He said that as a progressive company in a free economy, such matter should not have arisen, especially in a multiracial society.
Speaking to reporters after presenting Deepavali contributions to 200 people in his Merbok parliamentary constituency he said an educated man should not have expressed such opinion.
He was commenting on an e-mail issued by the company's Syariah Department head, Fauzi Mustaffar, to the staff early this month forbidding them to send greetings for festivals like Deepavali, Durga Pooja and Laksmi Pooja and saying that such action could be deemed blasphemous.
Fauzi's action had drawn criticisms from several parties including Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Abdullah Mohamed Zin and Director-General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) Dr Syed Ali Tawfik Al Attas.
"In a multiracial society we exchange greetings. This is also done by various religions in the world," Zainuddin said.
He said narrow-minded people had no place in a multiracial and multireligious society.
The country's leaders also conveyed greetings and the people in leadership roles and financial circles should understand their policy, he said.
**** Well, well, well. Finally something that Lord Zam and I agree on! But seriously I think it's a good thing that a man of his seniority and clout in the government has come out strongly against this kind of religious adventurism. With the Asli report still leaving a bitter taste, the last thing that should happen now is for some government hotshot to support the Takaful fatwa.
Zainuddin said conveying greetings would not make a person less Islamic. That statement of his pretty much sums it all up.
He said that as a progressive company in a free economy, such matter should not have arisen, especially in a multiracial society.
Speaking to reporters after presenting Deepavali contributions to 200 people in his Merbok parliamentary constituency he said an educated man should not have expressed such opinion.
He was commenting on an e-mail issued by the company's Syariah Department head, Fauzi Mustaffar, to the staff early this month forbidding them to send greetings for festivals like Deepavali, Durga Pooja and Laksmi Pooja and saying that such action could be deemed blasphemous.
Fauzi's action had drawn criticisms from several parties including Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Abdullah Mohamed Zin and Director-General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) Dr Syed Ali Tawfik Al Attas.
"In a multiracial society we exchange greetings. This is also done by various religions in the world," Zainuddin said.
He said narrow-minded people had no place in a multiracial and multireligious society.
The country's leaders also conveyed greetings and the people in leadership roles and financial circles should understand their policy, he said.
**** Well, well, well. Finally something that Lord Zam and I agree on! But seriously I think it's a good thing that a man of his seniority and clout in the government has come out strongly against this kind of religious adventurism. With the Asli report still leaving a bitter taste, the last thing that should happen now is for some government hotshot to support the Takaful fatwa.
Zainuddin said conveying greetings would not make a person less Islamic. That statement of his pretty much sums it all up.
posted by The Malaysian. at 10/13/2006 09:20:00 PM
3 Comments:
Dear Malaysian
I, too, agree with Zain this one time of all what he said so far. But,. was not he who among those who condemned Ong for critizing the wrong of other ministry? Where is the so-called 'BN' spirit? Or is Takaful under Information ministry?
Marvelous! ! This webpage is actually knowledgeable. I certainly have encountered a lot material for my search. I conceive it would of course advantage Loads of others similar to how it has did good to me. - stop snoring
ZAM should include himself on top of the list of people who contradicts themselves. He's the kepala-antu when it comes to 'narrow-minded people' like he said. lolx
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