By Mariam Mokhtar

The popping sounds you will hear on Thursday night, December 31, may be the sound of fireworks in the background to herald in the New Year. But I would like you to imagine that they are sounds of a starting pistol to signal to all Malaysians that we need to chart a new path for the nation in 2021.

Six weeks into 2020, the nation was plunged into turmoil and things became progressively worse with power grabs, political struggles and the debilitating effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the closing stages of 2020, we discovered that for over 40 years, we had been eating tainted imported meat.

The body which issues halal certificates, JAKIM, has started the blame game, claiming that their role is limited to ensuring overseas abattoirs follow the correct way of slaughtering.

Naturally, locals were skeptical about JAKIM's denial and lack of accountability, and the irresponsible remark of JAKIM's research division director Sirajuddin Suhaimee.

Wasn't it odd that whilst the nation was reeling from the meat cartel scandal, another JAKIM directive seemed to catch our attention?

JAKIM's deputy director-general (operations) Abdul Aziz Jusoh warned shops which possess JAKIM's halal certification that they are banned from openly displaying Christmas cakes which have been iced with the words "Merry Christmas".

Governments all over the world know that to hide bad news, they just have to manufacture another piece of bad news.

Was this Christmas greeting issue created to distract Malaysians from the tainted meat scandal?

Millions of ringgits have changed hands, sexual favors were granted to corrupt officials, at least four government departments and agencies were involved, and the fact that the meat cartel scandal remained undiscovered for over 40 years shows the depth of depravity and corruption within our government departments and supporting agencies.

If the Christmas greeting directive was not to deflect our attention, can JAKIM explain the reasoning behind if? Will JAKIM withdraw the halal certificate from the shops displaying cakes with the Christmas greeting? The process of getting the halal certificate is laborious and expensive.

Will any Muslim who eats the cake iced with "Merry Christmas" become a Christian?

Will the greeting encourage Muslim Malays to share the Christmas celebrations with their Christian friends? Is JAKIM afraid that community goodwill will strengthen the bonds between the different races? Does JAKIM think that a mere greeting is enough to entice a Malay to convert?

The hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of non-Christian children who attended mission schools in Malaysia and Christian boarding schools overseas, did not convert but have remained Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or atheist. This was despite having to recite the Lord's prayer at every morning assembly and attend carol services at Christmas and Easter. Some were part of the school choir in which they sang carols and hymns.

Perhaps, part of the blame can be placed on a controversial preacher who is being sought by the police in his native India for alleged extremist activities.

He has caused much division in our nation when he urged Malays not to greet their fellow citizens who are Christians. This preacher is a national security threat. and should be extradited to India.

Fortunately, our Agong and Queen have ignored this preacher and like Jokowi, president of the world's most populated Muslim nation Indonesia, have issued Christmas greetings to Christians in their respective nations.

JAKIM tried to dampen our Christmas celebrations, but will they do the same with our New Year celebrations?

Every year, on the first of January, we celebrate the first day of the Gregorian calendar which has its roots in Christendom. Will JAKIM put a stop to our New Year celebrations?

Will they do the same for the next big festival in Malaysia, which is Thaipusam, followed by Chinese New year and Easter? Will the Gawai harvest festival in Sarawak or Pesta Ka'amatan in Sabah be put at risk from overzealous JAKIM officials? Some officials already ban Muslims from celebrating Valentine's day.

On New Year's Eve, we should be more determined than ever to unite the various peoples of the many faiths in Malaysia.

We want a king and prime minister who are leaders of everyone, not just a leader for one particular faith or race, or for those who have voted for a specific party.

We need to treat others as our equals and our friends. We could achieve so much more if we were to work on our similarities.

Malays and non-Malays, Muslims and non-Muslims, want the same opportunities for our children, our families and our communities. Things like a good education, effective social services, ample housing, adequate infrastructure and a peaceful place where we can achieve our dreams.

This country has many riches, and there is more than enough to share the nation's wealth with everyone.

Malaysia's most valuable asset is its people. We should build on their strengths, work on the shortcomings, and distribute the opportunities that are available, more fairly.

Happy New Year!

Source:

1. YouTube: Is wishing Merry Christmas or taking part in the celebration of Christmas permissible? – Dr Zakir

2. New Straits Times: Meat cartel 'bribing government officers'

3. New Straits Times: Meat cartel scandal: Jakim slammed for 'negligence'

4. The Star: Jakim not involved in fake halal meat probe

5. The Star: Jakim should be held responsible in meat cartel scandal as they issued halal certs, says Anwar

6. MariamMokhtar.com: Murray Hunter exposes the other side of the halal industry in Malaysia, in "Malaysia's Halal Crisis"

7. MariamMokhtar.com: Murray Hunter's allegations about JAKIM's halal crisis must not be brushed aside

8. The Star: Halal-certified shops can't display cakes with Merry Christmas greeting, says Jakim

9. Malay Mail: No halal cert with Xmas wording? Minister clarifies messages fine as long as not for display

10. PublicHolidays.com: Malaysia Public Holidays 2021

11. Wikipedia: Gregorian calendar

(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)