PAS Chinese Dinner and Mooncake
Sep 7th, 2006 by Tian
I attended a PAS-sponsored dinner at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall tonight (6 September 2006). The function aimed at promoting PAS to the Chinese community.
PAS top leaders present were: President Hadi Awang, Deputy President Dr Nasaruddin, Secretary General Dr Kamaruddin Jaafar, Dr Hatta, Mujahid Yusof Rawal. Dr Hanimah, and so on.
In his speech, PAS President Hadi explained the notion of racial unity in Islam according to PAS. He recapitulate the tragic incident of May 13 in which no racial clashes occurred in PAS-ruled Kelantan. Hadi told that PAS stayed clear of any instigation of hostility, instead the then Menteri Besar Asli instructed all penghulu in Kelantan to be vigilant to provocation and to protect non-muslim residents.
PAS has recently published a Chinese language newsletter, known as “People’s Current Affairs†or Ren Min Shi Shi (人民时事).
The dinner function is an indication that the party is tuning its image to suit the plurality of our society. Tonight Hadi not only greeted the audience in Chinese, he also used the opportunity to perform his art in Chinese calligraphy.
PAS also shows that the party can be quite creative in inter-ethnic interaction. This year PAS joins the sharing of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival by launching its own version of mooncake. It is hardly surprising that PAS finds mooncake closed to the taste of its members.
The use of the symbolism of mooncake started with Reformasi and KeADILan. In 1998 Reformasi activists marched with lantern to rekindle the history of uprising against the despotic Mongol dynasty. Since 2001, KeADILan’s brand of mooncake has been marketed to supporters every year. This year PAS too took this hints to initiate a celebration of mooncake festival.
PAS mooncake reminds us the strong association of Chinese culture with the moon. Chinese who traditionally observe lunar calendar are a people who cherish the moon. The phobia for moon which is a sickness known as werewolf symptom is unheard of in Chinese traditional society.
Our society is indeed changing. Malaysian non-muslim population customarily considers PAS as dogmatic and fanatical. This is certainly a prejudicial perception. In fact we have seen PAS continuously making attempts to adapt to changing social reality. However the ruling UMNO is going against trend. Long years of unchallenged domination has made the party arrogant and now increasing invoke bigotry to silent others.
Well done PAS. Keep up your hardwork. I strongly support the PAS to be more open to the Chinese community and non-Muslim community. Malaysia needs a accommodate and open political party. Not the exclusive racial-based political party.
Tian, thanks for your important input.
If PAS is sincere in this gesture, sincere in getting a REAL unity among human being without prejudice toward male/female, race/religious, then he get my support, or else, stop the sandiwara, the mighty god may punish you one day.
PAS has always shown their ability in creating bond among muslim and non-muslim. I am very touch and impress by what they did.
Because of misunderstanding of many chinese to the party, many votes have been wasted…
it is so ashame that our country do not have a total free media. manipulation and other effort had been in between the way of understanding.
Keep it going PAS
assembly hall
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