KUALA LUMPUR: Religion continues to be a sensitive issue in the multicultural nation especially when people get converted to another religion.
The recent act of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who openly converted a Hindu youth to Islam after performing Friday prayers at a mosque in Klang, Selangor, yesterday has sparked criticism among non-Muslims.
Former Penang deputy chief minister, Prof P. Ramasamy said such an act showed that Anwar has no respect or gratitude towards the Indian community who have sacrificed a lot for the welfare of the country.
"Is Anwar the same leader who Indians and others trusted once? Anwar responded rudely to an Indian student about the need to continue the allocation process to enter the matriculation programme is not generally acceptable to Indians.
"It is unimaginable that Anwar converted a Hindu youth to Islam in a mosque in Klang. No other prime minister has done this before. Why is it necessary to convert the Hindu youth and what is the speciality of this conversion for Anwar?
"Is Anwar coming to say that religions other than Islam can't live together with Islam? Is conversion the way to exit from the multifaceted religions and multicultural society in the country?" he said.
He added Anwar had confused non-Muslims and Muslims by converting a Hindu youth.
"I don't know whether Anwar realised that the conversion will hurt the feelings and self-esteem of the Indian community. Can't other religious officials perform religious conversion rituals?
"These three incidents are enough to show that Anwar has no respect or gratitude towards the Indian community which has made sacrifices for the welfare of the country.
"It is time for Indians and others to think about their future in the country. Can you believe that Anwar will lead the non-Malaykars from their current frustration and difficult situation?
Meanwhile, Malaysian Advancement Party president P. Waytha Moorthy said that Anwar's conversion 'ritual' had caused uneasiness amongst non-Muslims.
"Many Non-Muslims in the country are shocked with PM Anwar Ibrahim officially and openly converting a Hindu youth at a mosque after Friday prayers yesterday.
"While freedom of religion is enshrined in the Federal Constitution, the youth was exercising his right to embrace a religion of his choice.
"There is a willingness on his part to convert voluntarily hence the complaint does not lie there. But the question being asked by millions of non—Muslims is why should the initiation into Islamic faith be done by the prime minister himself?" he said in his Facebook post today.
He said conducting the religious conversion 'ritual' personally and publicly did not go well among almost 45 per cent of the non-Muslim population totalling almost 14 million citizens.
"So, the question that is being asked is why now after becoming the prime minister. Many ask if the prime minister is trying to prove he is a greater Muslim than Pas and Perikatan Nasional (PN) by being the first prime minister to have conducted a ritual to welcome a "saudara baru", he said.
He added that Malaysians were given a different picture of the prime minister since yesterday.
"Just analyse the social media discussions and various accusations levelled against the prime minister from the non—Muslims. Muslims, understandably would certainly look at the event through different lenses.
"Malaysia is a unique country with distinctive cultural and religious practices. Each religion has its sensitivities that need to be addressed carefully for the sake of national unity and acceptance of each other as brothers and sisters in a united country.
"While Muslims would see the act of the prime minister as noble and divine and same cannot be said from the non-Muslims," he said.
He said Anwar has always advocated multi-racialism and politics of understanding and trusting each other.
"He has always preached about religious diversity and the need to embrace each other as fellow Malaysians despite the fact we come from differing racial and religious backgrounds.
"Hence my call to the prime minister is to understand there are great expectations on him to be the prime minister for all communities and to make them comfortable with him," he said.