Campuraduk politik & agama mengancam keharmonian negara

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‘Mixing politics and religion, a threat to national harmony’
Nawar Firdaws | March 3, 2017
Some politicians and religious leaders appear to be more interested in their own survival than that of the nation.


PETALING JAYA: The line between politics and religion should never be crossed as doing so would bring about terrible consequences.
These consequences, said lawyer-cum-activist Siti Kasim and senior pastor Paul Pakianathan, include the end of the racial and religious harmony that the country has enjoyed for decades.

“Politics is about power, and religion is about faith. Faith can influence power but when power influences faith, it can become a disaster,” Siti told FMT.

“Faith always leads to principles and values. But whose principles and values will take the lead when religion is mixed into the political realms?”

She had last month, said the Malays are the most oppressed people in Malaysia as everything they do is dictated by the authorities.

“We are told what to wear, what to drink, what to eat and even how to think. Every aspect of our life, we are told what to do,” she had said at the “Himpunan Rakyat Tolak Usul Hadi” rally on Feb 18.

Siti’s remarks came following the heightened racial tension caused by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355).

Opponents of Hadi’s proposal have accused PAS of trying to implement hudud law through the proposed amendments. But Hadi himself has repeatedly denied this, and urged Muslims to support his move as it is their “religious responsibility” to do so.

Paul, a senior pastor at the Community of Praise, said there was a time when all Malaysians respected each other’s religion and faith.

This has changed as more and more politicians are using religion to gain support, while religious leaders have abused the platform given to them to spread political messages, he said.

“If you are a religious leader and you want to be a politician, then go and be a politician instead. The same goes for politicians who act like religious leaders by using religion to make themselves more appealing to certain groups.

“But both have to make the wellbeing of the people their priority. Because religion is something personal and you can change it whenever you want.

“The country you are living in, on the other hand, is your home even if you dislike certain things about it. So take care of that home.”

Paul also said that some politicians and religious leaders appear to be more interested in their own survival than that of the nation.

“This is affecting the country’s racial harmony. We can see this happening all around us.”

He however, said the two are not the only ones responsible for the current racial tension. “You and I are also responsible for not speaking up.”

According to Paul, while the Bible called for its disciples to “pray” for their leaders, it is also written that when the leaders are abusing the powers that God has blessed them with, then the people have to speak up against it.

“I don’t believe any race or religion wants to see this country go to the dogs.

“So we have to do something about this and we can start by telling both the politicians and the religious leaders to stay within their own spheres.”

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/03/03/mixing-politics-and-religion-a-threat-to-national-harmony/