By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 21: Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia are ready and willing to open their houses to Palestinian war victims in the country without Sarawak’s involvement.
A UCSI University’s Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi highlighted this in expressing his disappointment to the remarks by Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) leader Francis Paul Siah, calling Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim not to relocate any Palestinian war victims to Sarawak.
Mohd Tajuddin underscored that the acts of compassion and mercy, fundamental to Islam and other religions, should not be met with resistance.
“So, ‘jangan risau’ (don’t worry), we Muslims in Peninsula can take care of the Palestinians. I am personally opening my house to one family from our guests who are suffering a war that many did not ask for.
“I am sure I can find 30 other Muslim Malaysians, not from Sarawak, but all parts of Malaysia to do the same,” he said in a statement today.
Mohd Tajuddin, who is also a member of Board of Governors for Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), noted that Anwar’s actions is aligned with the Islamic values, which mandate helping those in need, regardless of their background.
“This is an obligatory requirement in Islam that reaches all corners of the earth. This obligation extends to preventing wrongdoing and promoting good deeds under ‘Amar Maaruf’ and ‘Nahi Munkar’.
“Anwar, as a Muslim, whether he is Prime Minister or not, as with all Muslims in Malaysia, must try his best to find a good solution to problems of hardship in the world as best as we can,” he stressed.
“The Palestinians are not only guests in Malaysia but more importantly, they are guests of the Muslims first, second and last. Francis Paul Siah is not a Muslim so I understand that he probably does not know that,” he said, in stressing the importance of recognising that compassion towards them is an extension of Islamic faith.
He also mentioned that, as Malaysia has previously demonstrated its commitment to global peace and humanitarian efforts such as sending peacekeepers to other parts of the world, the current situation should be no different.
“I am adding an Islamic dimension to the cause started by Anwar as a Malaysian leader. Any Malaysian prime minister, who is a Malay and a Muslim will never turn his or her back on the plight of the Palestinians and also others. Perhaps when we have a Prime Minister such as Francis Paul Siah, that commitment may change, but that day has not arrived yet,” he concluded. — DayakDaily
