KELANTAN MB AGAINST 'NOTION OF MALAY SUPREMACY'

Kelantan MB against 'notion of Malay Supremacy'

Posted by St Low
Monday, 17 November 2008 20:07
KOTA BARU: Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said he disagreed with the notion of Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy) because there are no race considerations in Islam.
He said it was important for all Muslims to be firm believers and practise the true teachings of Islam and not distorted versions, adding that Muslims who placed nationalism and race ahead of religion were “disillusioned followers.”
Islam is for Muslims regardless whether they are Malays, Chinese or Indians, he said.
“It is a religion above race. We cannot quantify race with Islam, such as Malays with Islam. There are also Chinese and Indian Muslims,” said the PAS spiritual adviser.
“Those who place race above religion are being brainwashed by western culture,” he said after launching the inaugural London Fish Tales fast-food outlet at the Tesco hypermarket here on Monday.
He also said that actions by certain Muslims who do not practise Islam faithfully were the root cause why the religion was not widely respected.
Before criticising non-followers, Muslims should first return to the true path of Islam as it would allow them to gain the respect of non-Muslims, besides upholding Islam’s true virtues.
Nik Abdul Aziz also said that both Muslims and non-Muslims should respect and follow the decrees (fatwas) issued by the National Fatwa Council as they represent the rulings of Allah.
“Allah’s decrees and decisions are final,” he said, adding that non-Muslim NGOs must refrain from criticising decisions made by the National Fatwa Council.
The Council has come under heavy criticism when it said it was studying whether to issue a fatwa against Muslims practising yoga.
- The Star