Yoursay: India, M'sia share similar problems in treatment of minorities

YOURSAY | 'India is a lot like Malaysia at the moment, focusing on trivial issues that have no bearing on the poor…'

Stop touching on our internal affairs - India rebukes Dr M over comments at KL Summit

Eleos: Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is doing a disservice to senior citizens by proving that with age comes enfeeblement, intellectual and physical. His recent KL Summit, in the face of opposition from Saudi Arabia, is a case in point.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an established entity to solve issues affecting Islamic countries. Without any consideration or discussion, Mahathir tried to upstage the OIC and shift the focus to Malaysia and particularly to himself. And for his efforts, he was roundly rebuked and snubbed.

My advice to you, Mahathir, is to stop grandstanding. You are a small man running a small country which is facing economic ruin through a flawed policy that excludes 30 percent of the population from the fruits that they laboured for.

At the Tanjung Piai by-election, the majority said clearly that they are no longer buying this. I hope Mahathir gets the message and quits the scene.

Please pay more attention locally, where the social fabric is beginning to unravel, thanks to your and Umno’s divisive policies.

Apanakdikato: No matter how controversial the new Indian citizenship law is, it is still their internal matter. Likewise, there are many controversies within Malaysia itself, and we don't see the government of India rebuking the Pakatan Harapan government.

Mahathir lacks wisdom in the way he manages the country's affairs. It seems that he spends more than half his time in office intruding into the affairs of other countries. It is an entirely different situation if a foreign country requests for advice from Mahathir, but this is not the case here.

The only statesman in Southeast Asia whose advice and views have been formally requested by many foreign nations is Singapore’s former premier, the late Lee Kuan Yew. Mahathir is clearly not in the same league as Lee, and should learn from him how to be a better statesman and leader of a multi-racial country.

Be a gentleman and pass on the baton as was initially promised. Mahathir is causing irreversible damage to the unity and economy of Malaysia.

Vijay47: Yesterday Malaysia, today the Middle East, and tomorrow the whole world. Yes, Mahathir, why not? We must grasp beyond our reach, the stars are not there just to twinkle but for us to conquer and desecrate.

Many here will be in rapt admiration as you deliver yet another of your version of Urbi et Orbi, the traditional sermon that Pope Francis offered on Christmas Day. But I doubt yours will bring forth any blessing upon the faithful.

Doctors, the unkind ones, may describe your latest contribution to international diplomacy as “progressive degeneration at increasing acceleration, manifested by a masochistic delusion of egotism”. All of which, of course, is Greek to me.

And hence, the renewed attack on India after your astute observations on its invasion and occupation of one of its 37 states which, pardon me, include Delhi and eight Union Territories. But who’s counting.

Mahathir, you may believe that India’s removal of the recent palm oil ban was a sign of weakness, a stand I may share with you, but it may also have been a reflection of some guiding Mahatma Gandhian ethic – you perhaps have heard of that gentleman, though hardly familiar with his philosophy.

What is your next act that we can eagerly expect? Maybe something in line with “Start small but think big”?

You could ban our Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, and Malindo Air from flying to India to “teach the keling a lesson”. Who cares if this causes these airlines to crash into monumental losses – one is already enjoying such privilege.

Then you could disallow the playing of “Janaganamana” (Indian national anthem) in Malaysia, whether or not the Indian high commissioner is present. You could next, ende ponnu monneh, ban Tamil and Malayalam films from our dignified shores.

But not Hindi films – goodness, what would the Malay populace do, without their daily fix of Shah Rukh Khan and that damn Salman Khan?

Mat Md: Indian Muslims are 100 percent Indian, their ancestors were Hindus just like the ancestors of Indian Prime Minister Narendran Modi.

Since they prefer to remain Muslims, what are the justifiable reasons for them to be discriminated? They are not "pendatang", they deserve to be treated equitably and live in India undisturbed.

It is really very disturbing to note that when a Muslim slaughtered a cow for its meat, he, in turn, was slaughtered for a sacrifice to pacify the unknowns.

Imagine if the Indian Muslims were to be in power in India and treat the Hindus indiscriminately, what would be the reaction of the Hindus?

Gerard Lourdesamy: Where is the discrimination in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA)? It does not apply to Indian citizens irrespective of their race or religion.

It is only applicable to non-Muslim migrants who have been living in India illegally until 2015 because of oppression, discrimination and marginalisation in their countries of origin, and who are from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan which are more than 90 percent Muslim majority countries.

Muslim migrants from those countries, who are already living in India illegally, can apply for citizenship under the existing provisions of the Indian Constitution.

On the other hand, Malaysia has Article 153 in favour of the Malay majority. Is that provision fair and equitable, after 62 years of Independence and the "pendatang" having become citizens or having lived in this country for four or five generations?

Islam was brought to India by the Moguls, so not all Muslims in India are indigenous peoples. I do not condone the indiscriminate killing of Muslims and other minorities in India.

However, like the Malays here who are very sensitive when it comes to Islam and Islamic practices, the Hindu majority in India do not accept the slaughter of cows by Muslims in public. In fact, the Supreme Court of India has banned the public slaughter of animals even for religious purposes and that ruling applies to all religions.

The Muslims in India do not face the kind of institutionalised discrimination that non-Malays face in this country. In reality, many Muslims in India hold or have held top positions in India, from the president to the governor, chief minister, senior cabinet offices, judiciary, the armed forces and police. How many non-Muslims in Malaysia hold similar positions?

In India, the Hindu majority has no special position or privileges. They do not have a quota when it comes to employment in the public services, places in universities, scholarships, trade and business. There isn't a single university in India that is only reserved for the Hindu majority, unlike our Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UiTM) that is publicly funded.

So, before blindly accusing India of discrimination, first look at your own backyard.

Vgeorgemy: Full reporting on this was the CAA allows citizenship on the basis of religion to undocumented non-Muslim communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India on or before Dec 31, 2014.

There are apprehensions that the Act, followed by a countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC), would benefit non-Muslims excluded from the citizens’ register, while excluded Muslims will have to prove their citizenship.

Anonymous_1550204262: India is a lot like Malaysia at the moment, focusing on trivial issues that have no bearing on the poor to average people's fortunes.

The only thing the Modi government is bent on achieving is to race downhill to be able to compete with the misfortunes of Pakistan. Really sad for what was once a shining democracy.

Giant Pygmy: Finally, the minority PM from the smallest party in government got swotted down.

While I think India is in deep trouble with a clueless government which promised much and did nothing, they were re-elected with a super majority and therefore cannot be said to be without support

Yes, Mahathir either did not understand the CAA or is purposely confusing the matter, as always. The logic of the new Act is Muslims in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan do not need protection but non-Muslims do as they are in minority. Whether that’s right or not is a different story.

Nowhere it says it will deny Muslims born in India the right to citizenship or make its Muslim brethren second-class citizens.

Ranjit Singh Malhi: Mahathir, history books will relegate you to the endnotes. You will be viewed as an "international busybody" who spent precious time poking unnecessarily into the internal affairs of other nations, instead of rightfully steering Malaysia in the right direction: united, meritocratic and a progressive nation with high-quality human capital.

Odysseus: This old man has finally understood how Sabahans feel about Project M. He did nothing to stop the influx of Muslims from Indonesia and Philippines into Sabah. Today, Muslims have outnumbered the non-Muslims there.

Perhaps, Mahathir should recognise other countries are observing and learning on the implications of inactions if they allow persecutions to happen. Who knows, China may open its door to people of Chinese origin to move to China easily, if situations overseas dictate such actions.

Sarawak4Malaysian: Mahathir has on purpose misinterpreted everything to suit his narrow world view of geopolitics. His agenda is simple. He wants to be the leader of the Muslim world in order to garner support of the Malays locally.

What a stupid and short-sighted policy. From hero to zero, Mahathir now will the main reason for Harapan’s loss in GE15. We are now back to being another outcast nation.

Doc: When the BN or Harapan government conducts discriminatory action against non-Muslims in Malaysia, Mahathir labels this as "following the Malaysian Constitution".

When India conducts discriminatory action against Muslims in their country; Mahathir labels that as a "human rights violation".

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