Recently, Perak PAS Chief Razman Zakaria encouraged a group of demonstrators to unite against what he deemed as disloyalty of Malaysians not of his race during the China flag-waving incident in Perak.

It was later confirmed that the flag wavers were from Chinese nationals, but the organisers were still taken to task by the police on the matter.

What was interesting was what Razman had blurted out in a passionate plea of loyalty to country where he shouted that only those with eyes like his, skin colour like his, and blood like his own are deemed trustworthy enough to be loyal to the nation.

Many have deemed his statement by way of expression of eyes, skin and blood as being racist.

In this article I will show Razman that he lacks lessons of Malaya’s history, China history, and even the values of Islam from the Prophet himself.

With respect to a statement in social media, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has proudly proclaimed that the number of PAS supporters from non-Muslims has reached 62,000. That is certainly impressive if it were true.

The leader of this group of members is N. Balasubramaniam.

Now, my question to Razman is, if only the people who are the same as you in eyes, skin and blood can be counted as loyal to Malaysia, what about your 62,000 non-Muslim supporters? Are they not included in your loyalty call?

Secondly, Razman should learn a bit of China history.

The Chinese from China were earlier in receiving the Companion of the Prophet Muhammad, Saad Ibn Abi Waqas in 618 CE in the Chinese mainland, where the Huaisheng Mosque was established in 627 CE and has become one of the earliest mosques in the world.

The ‘mata sepet’ people were Muslims way before orang Melayu, Razman!

Thirdly, in Malaysia, one of the oldest mosques built in the 18th century was Kampung Hulu Mosque in Melaka.

This beautiful mosque was said to have been donated and built by a Chinese Muslim from Mainland China and grew to be a successful merchant. His name was Datuk Haji Shamsuddin.

There is no place in Malaysia for the likes of Razman or any political party which evaluates by race, eyes and blood.

Datuk Shamsuddin’s eyes were definitely not like Razman’s; his skin colour was obviously different from Razman’s, and I guess his blood was not the same as Razman in ancestry. But this Datuk Shamsuddin had contributed greatly to Islam, Muslims and the people of Melaka.

Fourthly, I recommend that Razman read the excellent book by Professor Dr. Kharuddin Aljuneid entitled Islam in Malaysia: An Entwined History. In that book, on page 99, I quote:

“In the seventh year of the Yung Lo (period) (the cyclic year) chi chou, the Emperor ordered the principal envoy the grand eunuch Cheng Ho and others to assume command (of the treasure ships), and to take the imperial edicts and to bestow this chief two silver seals, a hat, a girdle and a robe. (Cheng Ho) set up a stone tablet and raised (the place) to a city: and it was subsequently called the country of ‘Man-la Chia (Melaka)’. Thereafter Hsien lo (Siam) did not dare to invade it.”

Razman should know from our history and that of China too; it was people of different skin colour who defended and protected our Malay skin-coloured Muslims from being engulfed by Siam which would probably have destroyed any trace of Islam.

Finally, I would like to quote the Prophet Muhammad’s farewell sermon when he said the following words: “There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of a non-Arab over an Arab, and no superiority of a WHITE person over that of the BLACK person or that of the BLACK person over that of the WHITE person, except on the basis of personal piety and righteousness.”

Razman should do well to remember these words of the Prophet Muhammad before he spouts his venom on skin colour.

Will PAS remind him or people like me should kindly ask him to refrain from thinking he and the likes of his race is better simply because he and the likes of him are from one particular race?

Here in Malaysia, we do not discriminate among ourselves, and as a Muslim, I do not believe that the tenets of our religion asks us to do what you, Razman, have asked your supporters to do.

There is no place in Malaysia for the likes of Razman or any political party which evaluates by race, eyes and blood.

We judge goodness in all people by good deeds, good intentions and above all strong humility.

Do PAS and Razman pass this simple test of nationhood? I wonder.

I, therefore, call on PAS’ non-Muslim supporters to censure Razman and question the party’s top leadership on their silence.

(Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at a local university and his writing reflects his own personal opinion entirely.)