Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has given assurance that there will be no repetition of Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) disruption of a Hindu wedding, as happened on Sunday when Jais took away a bride from a Hindu wedding ceremony at a temple in Shah Alam on suspicion that she is a Muslim.
I met Khalid earlier today to express the outrage of moderate Malaysians, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, at Jais’ high-handed and unacceptable raid on Sunday, which tantamount to disrespect and interference with the affairs of other religions in the country. Jais was acting in a most insensitive and offensive manner when it stopped the Hindu wedding ceremony after it received a tip-off that the 32-year-old bride named Zarena Abdul Majid is a Muslim.
It is now established that Zarena was born and raised as a Hindu but her name was registered by her estranged father who had converted to Islam.
Malaysians must not be held hostage by irresponsible elements in our midst who want to spread the alarm that Islam is under attack, when there is no basis whatsoever for such a message. Islam, or any other religion in the country, is not under attack!
Malaysia must continue to be a model of multi-religious society where the great religions in the world can flourish in peace, harmony, tolerance and acceptance by 30 million Malaysians.