YOURSAY | Is PKR’s Hassan on the same wavelength as Hadi?

YOURSAY | ‘Prohibition of politics in prayer houses applies to all religions in the country’.

Hadi's defiance receives unexpected support from PKR rep

Magnanimous46: Who is PKR MP Hassan Karim to dispute the royal decree against politicians misusing the mosque to preach political Islam ala PAS or its president Abdul Hadi Awang’s political ideology?

And why are the law enforcers looking the other way while the royalty's constitutional authority is being challenged left, right, and centre by delinquent politicians bent on abusing the prayer houses for their political expediency?

And speaking of Hassan's view of democratic Islam (if there is such a thing) he overlooks that the royal prohibition against politics in the mosques is applicable to all politicians including those in the ruling parties and others. How is that unfair or undemocratic?

What is so wrong about preserving the sanctity of the mosque against deviant/opposing ideologies that serve partisan politics and politicians? In what way does having qualified apolitical preachers a deterrent to democratic practices?

Or is Hassan on the same wavelength as Hadi that Islam and politics cannot be separated? If so, are our royalties who are also the head of Islam empowered politicians in their own rights? For Hassan's information, the prohibition of politics in prayer houses applies to all religions in the country.

Out of curiosity, is Hassan maintaining other religions are also being denied their democratic rights? But how come this is not felt or voiced by the other adherents? It is a well-known and established fact that PAS is an extremist political party indoctrinating extreme religious ideology purely for its political expediency of an Islamic state.

We have seen in the recent general election how this has been exploited to the hilt to divide the nation by race and religion for the vested interest of a few PAS politicians. In a broader perspective, what is seen as championing the narrow political interest of these few as alluded to by Hadi, is Hassan also of the view that this is the way forward for our multiracial, multi-religious, and multicultural country? Is this also PKR's stand?

Steven Ong: This time, I totally disagree with Hassan Karim. Politics should be totally free from any religion. Declaring the sultans as heads of the religion in the state, yet now this is being challenged by an Islamist and a thinking Muslim.

Therefore, as seen in many peaceful and developed countries whose politics are free from religions, the Malaysian government declares itself free from any religion and all religions to be self-funded and supported by its faithful.

I am sure many progressive-thinking Muslims will agree to this sound proposal as practised by all advancing and developing countries.

I would like to share a belief that all should know that Islam is a political system that started to challenge the proposed coming perfect political system and government on earth. That is why those politicians like in PAS, Umno and PKR and all who believed in Islam are applying its system to gain power and rule.

The political operatives who boast of defending the Malays are masking their motives as most if not all Malays are Muslims. Hence for a country to progress peacefully, its politics should be free from any religion. All religions should be self-supported by their followers.

IndigoSwan6963: Hassan, you are free to practice what you believe but do not mix politics with religion. More so, you are also trying your luck to go against a royal decree. If you have or belong to a feudal mindset, that does not mean that your mindset is dead.

We belong to a constitutional monarchy and everyone respects the royal decree. Politicians like Hadi are misusing the worship houses, masjid, or suraus to intoxicate the masses with hatred and divides towards other political divides and those who do not agree with PAS.

Our royals and the sultanates are keeping their cool as much as they do not want to be involved in any political squabbles. But once it crosses the line, our royalties in each of the states have to put a stop to these.

Worse still Hadi is not even recognised or accredited to be a preacher. You are free to join the other side. No one is stopping you.

Fisher: Our honourable YB in his usual rational considerations has raised a valid argument. And this is worthy of a hearing/ acknowledgement.

While consenting to rights, is especially fundamental in a civilised society, there is much to worry about now in our local setting since there seems an increasing presence of political charlatans and deviants in a couple of spheres of human endeavours including political, spiritual, and concerns regarding multiculturalism.

A multicultural nation such as ours must wisely manage latitude towards those out to create strife even if unwittingly.

Apanama is back: Hassan Karim, it is good that you mentioned that our country has a feudal system. Yes, the royal decree should be respected, and the sultans and the king are heads of respective states for Islamic affairs.

But that does not mean they should control everything.

After the late DAP stalwart Karpal Singh and twice prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, I thought there is none to tick off royalists if they go overboard. Now you could join them, Hassan Karim.

Of course, the majority will not agree with you but I respect your different view. The reason is that once we are too long in the feudal system, the mind could be feudalist and could not accept different views such as yours.

FellowMalaysian: It must be made clear that the house of God must not be used to deliver any matters related to state politics and this has been made known by the rulers in the states of Selangor, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Kedah, and some state imams.

Defying this order by Hadi will reflect negatively on him by his followers and Muslims throughout the country. Hadi's recent claim of the imminent downfall of Anwar's government is diabolical and this was done in a mosque while preaching.

There must be some restraints while making public speeches even in countries practising democracy.

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