Morons of Parliament: Demolish Christian Statues, Destroy the Crosses

I read this post in www.darnmalaysia.com. The advocates of this insanity are none other than two members of parliament from the Batu Pahat district, Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong] on the left and Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading] on the right. Batu Pahat happens to be my hometown, and I am ashamed to admit that we had elected MPs who couldn't see beyond their noses.

November 23, 2007

Today, I will introduce you to 2 Morons of Parliament (MP). These 2 MPs recently talked smack in Parliament about Christian missionary schools and even suggested demolishing Christian statues and crosses. The text can be found here on Lucia Lai’s blog, but I will just translate the entire page to the best of my ability. If you want to read the Hansard, please download it from the parliament website.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: [Some unrelated stuff first] Yang Di-Pertua, I would like to touch on a matter regarding the Ministry of Education, which are Christian missionary schools like Convent, La Salle, Methodist, and so forth. I was made to understand that the Board of Directors at these schools are partially administered by churches in foreign countries, for example in the Vatican City. I was also made to understand that the application to build a ’surau’ in some of these schools had to go through the approval of these Board of Directors whereby they are partially administered by the church. Therefore, it shames me that the school administrations are still controlled by the church. I was also made to understand that many Muslim parents send their kids to these schools, and that they have complained that sometimes, the school is started with church songs. I do not know if this is true, but what I discovered from these parents are the display of religious symbols. I feel disappointed that in an Islamic country, Malaysia, if I go to a convent school, the statue of St. Mary is displayed in the front of the school.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: [Stands up]

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Please proceed, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Yusof bin Yacob]: Yes, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: I am not shocked at all, Yang Berhormat for Parit Sulong. It’s not just a simple question. The question is, why has this happened? One. During the last Hari Raya, I was told by a father, when Aidilfitri was celebrated, these types of schools were not closed. Thank you.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Not only statues, but fellow Yang Berhormat, go and see for yourselves, Christian crosses are displayed in front of schools. I do not understand the Ministry of Education, did the officers not see that, or is it our policy to allow such a thing? Nevertheless, I, as a responsible person to my religion, race, and country, I state my views that these statues need to be demolished, these crosses need to be destroyed and church influences in these schools need to be stopped. Also, the funds that are collected at these schools. Do we have a report? If possible, the ministry should reveal the funds for these schools. I was made to understand that these schools are also sponsored by the church. continued next page…

Ok. Dear readers, do you have friends that studied in Christian missionary schools? Heck, in Ipoh where I grew up, I’ve got friends studying in these schools and I have never heard of schools starting with Christian church songs. If it did happen, don’t you think it would have already created a bigger controversy? Instead, we have to hear such things from a relative nobody from the Parit. Wait, I meant the MP from Parit Sulong. And with ZERO evidence to boot. Hey, since you’re such a responsible Muslim man, why don’t you prevent the influence of other religions in this country by destroying the churches and temples in Malaysia? Oh wait, I forgot, we are already doing that, aren’t we?

Then the joker from Sri Gading just had to pitch in with his 2 cents, and says that he knows some parent who claimed that the school was not closed during Hari Raya. I guess when UMNO scheduled their General Assembly during Deepavali, that’s ok right? The message to us Malaysians is: If it doesn’t concern Islam, I don’t want to know about it.
The people we vote into Parliament sometimes, eh? Anyway, ZERO evidence of such a thing happening. It’s like me saying that I heard from my friend’s brother’s sister-in-law who claimed that she saw a hantu susu before. Therefore, it must be true! Right…

Then Mr. Taliban from Parit Sulong is telling everyone that these Christian statues and crosses need to be destroyed. I guess Mr. Taliban was sleeping when Badawi addressed the UMNO General Assembly just a mere few weeks ago on religious sensitivities.

These missionary schools have educated countless number of law-abiding citizens and luminaries that contribute immensely to the country and society. Certainly, these citizens have contributed more to this country than those MPs from Sri Gading and Parit Sulong have, and ever will. This nation does not need morons like these to represent us in Parliament. Say ‘tak nak’ to morons.

Mohamad bin Haji Aziz and Syed Hood say the darndest things!

A comment from among the many readers of the post:

November 24, 2007

Okay, first off this is complete and TOTAL BULLSHIT.

I am a Muslim and obviously a Malay woman. I went to SRK Convent Klang and then SMK Convent Klang. And everything those two ******* idiots said is completely false and unfounded.

My school was originally named the ‘St. Infant Jesus Christ Convent’ back when the Brits were around and when they left, the nuns stayed on. Of course the teaching evolved and when I went into Form 1 (year 1999), there was only one nun left.

What used to be the church in the school have been converted to the main hall. What used to be the altar where people worship, there was a stage build over. There was no more statues of Jesus Christ anywhere though on the wall where the small ones used to hang, one can see the outline of it due to years of it hanging there. Then when they repainted the school, it was gone.

There is still a big cross at the front of the school, no one ever found the reason to complain. Its part of our British/Malaya heritage anyways. When I was in school we never sang any “church songs” during the assembly. We did “baca doa” then after that in rotation of weeks another prefect will read the Christian prayers, then another week Hindu prayers and another week Buddhist while students who are not of that religion will stand in silence of respect.

I never view this as a part of pushing another religion onto my beliefs. I was never offended by it. Its just the way it is.

Then bout the school not closing during Raya….I am not even going to comment on that because that is BEYOND stupid. We do however have holidays on Good Fridays because Convent does have Christian traditions and there’s nothing offensing my Muslim “sensibilities” when I was given Friday off. The more day offs, the better is is. You get no complaints from any sane student.

Convent schools all over Malaysia are significant part of our British/Malaya history and having been part of the Convent life, I find it very offensive and incrediblly stupid of them to make such statements.

Religion is a set of beliefs. You choose what to belief. Just because you think your religion is better than other people does not give you the right to condemn and push your religion onto other people. Stupid ******* politicians.

Klaw: Well said. I like how your school helped promote diversity and respect for other religions by rotating the “baca doa” for different religions.

(My three children were educated in SRK and SMK Convent and they are the better for it. I have never heard them say there were forced to sing hymns or listen to Christian prayers. On the other hand, in all national schools, the 'baca doa' or the Muslim prayer is compulsory in all gatherings and assemblies. That much we can say about the tolerant nature of non-Muslims. There are Malay parents who have specifically requested for their children to be put in Convent schools for the simple reason that they are multi-racial).