State Mufti should apologize for ‘invented race’ remark – Pairin Posted on the Borneo Post on October 18, 2013, Friday KOTA KINABALU: State Mufti Bungsu @ Aziz Jaafar should be sincere in making amends to the KadazanDusun community whom he has offended and hurt with his claim that they are of an ‘invented race’. Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said that Bungsu knows very well that he has hurt the feelings of the KadazanDusuns for that statement as well as another statement saying that other Muslim natives in Sabah should be identified as ‘Malay’. Based on that knowledge, Bungsu should apologise, said Pairin who is also KDCA President and the Huguan Siou (Paramount Leader). “He should apologize and not only say that he is ready to apologize. The Federal Cabinet has said that Bungsu should not only retract his statements but also issue a public apology not only to the KadazanDusun community but to other natives as well,” Pairin told reporters yesterday. “The State Mufti is only doing things halfway by saying that he is ready to apologise to the KadazanDusun community and other natives in the state if his statement was interpreted differently from what was stated at a forum in Putrajaya recently. “But the fact is that his statement has hurt and angered many people. This is not a game… if you want to apologise then do it with full sincerity because God is always watching us and he knows when we are not sincere,” the PBS President stressed. To a question if the issue had been discussed in the State Cabinet, Pairin replied, “We have not discussed this in the State Cabinet but it was discussed in KDCA’s meeting on Oct 13 and I believe KDCA has issued a statement on the claim that Kadazan is an invented race. Pairin pointed out that Bungsu’s claim was not true because there are basis to prove that Kadazans and Dusuns are natives in Sabah. “Of course some people are trying to use old issues like the term Kadazan being invented by the British but when it comes to description of race, we must respect what the respective community describes themselves. “We do not question that but when doubts crop up as to people’s race, it becomes an emotional and sensitive issue. Therefore, I don’t understand why he had to speak about people’s race because as the State Mufti, he should be focusing on religious teachings,” Pairin said. When asked to comment on why he had kept silent on the matter, Pairin explained that being quiet does not mean he does not agree with the reaction of the KadazanDusun community and he added, “We practice patience as it is a virtue.” Pairin disclosed that in the past during the Berjaya Government rule, there was an attempt to change the term ‘Bumiputera’ with ‘Pribumi’. This was an issue because the term recognized by the Government is ‘Bumiputera’ for natives in Sabah and Sarawak, he said and added, “But there are some people who wanted to use another term and this is blatant disrespect to the Government’s recognition which resulted in a public outcry. Pairin said that it is his hope that people would understand and remember to refrain from issuing statements that can hurt the feelings of the multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-religious Malaysians. Pairin also questioned Bungsu’s intention for proposing that all Muslim natives in Sabah should be identified as ‘Malay’ as it is a suggestion which has hurt many people. “Everybody has a right to practise their religion and it is not forced upon anyone. So if hurtful statements like these are left as it is, it could spread and be made to seem that the Government is not concerned about the issue. “In fact, the Government wants us to develop as a country that practises unity in diversity. We are a multi-racial and multi religious nation and Christians also have Muslim relatives. We do not have a problem with that. “In the past when Muslim friends and relatives greeted us with ‘Assalamualaikum’, we returned the greeting because this is our way of life. My father used to wear a songkok and we respect anyone who wears one because the songkok is a headgear and it does not mean that just because you wear it you are a Muslim. “So it is my hope that the issue will be settled amicably with an apology from the State Mufti as we should be saying sorry if we had said anything that has hurt the people’s feelings,” Pairin stressed. Bungsu last week issued a short statement and said that he was ready to apologize to the KadazanDusun community and other natives in the State if his statement was interpreted differently from what was stated at a forum in Putrajaya recently. Bungsu said it was not his intention to offend any of the racial and ethnic groups in Sabah because he himself is a Brunei and Dusun from the state.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 02:20:07 +0000
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