PAS calls for moderation, tolerance on Thaipusam's eve
Published on: Wednesday, January 24, 2024
By: Malay Mail
Hindu devotees carry milk pots ahead of the Thaipusam festival at the Batu Caves temple in Kuala Lumpur January 23, 2024. (Malay Mail pic)
Kuala Lumpur: In a Thaipusam greeting today, PAS called on Malaysians to practise moderation and tolerance and refrain from getting into emotional conflict and pointless polemic.
The Islamist party secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said Thaipusam, as with other religious festivals, showed Malaysia’s social diversity.
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But he conceded that narrow and negative viewpoints about others outside their own beliefs, culture, political tendencies are pervasive on topics like citizenship and loyalty to the home country.
“PAS holds the belief that such views will likely remain on the fringe, lasting only temporarily, if all parties continue to exercise moderation, instead of exaggerating it or being dragged into emotional wars and pointless polemics.
“Meanwhile, it should also be appreciated that openness, moderation and tolerance towards diversity do not grant any party the licence to ignore, belittle or even challenge the foundations of this country, both in terms of history, culture and ideal values that had shaped our worldview and identity all these while,” he said in a statement.
Takiyuddin said PAS is confident that conflicts and tensions could be avoided through sincere and grounded awareness from all parties.
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“Parochialism, extremism or excessive approach were flaws that need to be tempered with moderation, common sense and courtesy, instead of louder voices or a confrontational stance,” he said.
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