By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal and Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 — Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers have attacked Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s remarks that the interfaith committee set up by the Cabinet only consisted of “small-fry,” with Lim Kit Siang claiming it was an example of the government’s indecisive policies.

Muhyiddin had said this morning the lack of any legal powers vested in the committee meant it would not have any influence over the nation’s official religion.

In response to this, Lim, the DAP advisor, said that the DPM’s comments were “insulting” and “a put-down on the role of the inter-faith panel” announced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

“This shows a big divide between proclamation and reality. When Tsu Koon announced the inter-faith panel, the impression given was that it was a major breakthrough,” said Lim.

The DAP man said that Muhyiddin’s ridiculing of the panel showed yet another sign of flip-flopping from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration.

Lim continued by saying the DPM’s statement appeared to damage the 1 Malaysia concept. “On one hand, sweet sounding promises are being made by Najib, but on the ground the actual action speaks otherwise.”

“It is flip-flopping. If Tsu Koon has any dignity left, throw in the towel and resign in protest,” said Lim.

The Ipoh Timur MP further claimed that Perkasa was controlling Umno to the extent that even Muhyiddin was following the whims and fancies of the Malay right-wing group, which opposes the committee.

“This also shows the power of Perkasa. Why is Muhyiddin so afraid of Perkasa which is regarded as a fringe, right wing extremist organisation? They seem to be able to rattle Umno to the extent it can make [the] DPM come out with such a statement.”

PAS central working committee member, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, echoed the sentiments of his PR colleague.

“This is flip-flopping at its best, nothing more to describe it. Najib is seeping fast into Pak Lah’s greatest failure. Someone who dares not bite the bullet or take the bull by the horn.”

“The greatest obstacle for Najib is Perkasa and, of course, the man behind Perkasa, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” said Dzulkefly, who is also Kuala Selangor MP.

PKR MP Datuk Johari Abdul asserted that Muhyiddin’s statement showed Barisan Nasional’s lackadaisical attitude.

“What Muhyiddin said is unfortunate, and is a reflection of BN: not serious about handling religious talks, not brave enough to handle situations. At least with [the] inter-faith [committee] there’s a forum to handle [religious] matters.”

“This council is a big thing. Our racial composition is not 95 per cent Muslim. You have so many other races. Big things need big people with conviction. Not something you can sweep under the carpet,” said Johari.

The Cabinet agreed recently to form an inter-faith committee to foster religious understanding and harmony, damaged in recent months by religious conflicts such as the controversial “Allah” ruling.

It had earlier this year appointed Datuk Ilani Isahak to bring religious leaders to the table in an attempt to iron out such conflicts.

The idea for an inter-faith panel was first mooted in the early 1980s but was shot down following objections from Muslim groups such as the Islamic Development Department, better known by its Malay acronym Jakim.

According to sources, the objection was because an inter-faith council would place Islam, the nation’s official religion, on equal footing with the other religions.

This was the same objection put forward by Malay rights group Perkasa yesterday. Perkasa has demanded the Najib administration places its new inter-faith panel under the national Islamic Affairs Department, saying it rejected the entity in its current form.

Perkasa says it would tolerate the committee only if it fell under the guidance of Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, the Islamic Affairs Minister under the Prime Minister’s Department and not Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who is currently the minister in charge.

Today, Muhyiddin refuted allegations and allayed fear expressed by Perkasa that the committee may threatened the sanctity of Islam and their faith.

Umno members, however, moved quickly to downplay Muhyiddin’s remarks.

“It is a good beginning, I don’t consider it as a set back because being a multi-racial country, there are certain constraints in progressing in this area.”

“It is not for solving the problem but to manage the problem. If there are things like this, you have got to manage the problem because it is about the relationship between the people. As such you do not want to cause disunity among Malaysians,” said Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, Kudat MP.

Another Umno member,Datuk Razali Ibrahim, said the focus should not be on what anyone said, but the bigger picture.

“It is a beginning for many other things. If we don’t do anything then they will get mad so it is a good beginning,” said Razali, who is Umno Youth Deputy Chief.