On February 16, the Klang Hokkien Association welcomed a large number of Muslims, who joined the local Chinese for the first ever Chinese New Year celebration jointly organised by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM), the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association, and other organisations. 

Prior to this, the controversial Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na’im Mokhtar was the guest of honour, who not only delivered a speech, but also distributed angpaos to the participants. 

It is heartening to learn that JAKIM and other Muslim groups were willing to take the first step to try to bring Muslims and non-Muslims closer together in promoting cultural exchanges between the two communities, which is highly commendable.

Such a gesture couldn’t have come at a better time, following the controversy over the guidelines governing Muslims’ participation in non-Muslim celebrations – helping to ease the tense inter-community relations.

Unfortunately, lion dancer and lou sang ubiquitous in many CNY celebrations were absent from the Klang Hokkien Association event. The initial objective of creating a festive mood was defeated, the intent of showing goodwill to the Chinese community remarkably eroded.

Lion dance and lou sang are non-religious Malaysian Chinese community traditions in a CNY celebration, practised wholly for auspicious reasons and nothing else.

Lou sang is not strictly a culture inherited by Chinese Malaysians from China, but rather an innovation that has evolved over time in the local Chinese community – not unlike the Malay rojak – from chronic interactions and mingling among the many different peoples in this country.

When Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor and Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin attended the state government’s CNY celebration at Dong Zen Temple in Jenjarom, lion dance was performed to welcome Their Royal Highnesses, who later joined the other guests to toss lou sang; reflecting the perfect integration of Malaysian cultures in a spirit of inclusivity. 

Don’t let the sparks on the Internet set our country ablaze. We must step out of the virtual barriers that stand in our way, and walk into one another’s real worlds

I am always convinced that the only way to consolidate national unity is by way of mutual respect and tolerance.

According to our reporter covering the Klang Hokkien Association event, no major local Chinese community leaders – shockingly not even the association’s leaders – had been invited to the “Jalinan Muhibbah Madani CNY Celebration 2025”! This shows that the event had been put up in a rather hasty manner, not one that had been prepared several months in advance.

Owing to lack of thoughtful consideration and unnecessary concerns, the event ended up a big flop that pleased none.

I could sense the frustration among the Muslims on some Malay websites: some have accused JAKIM of betraying Islam, while others denounced it for pawning the dignity of Muslims. Some even alleged that JAKIM started to please the local Chinese community after the DAP came to power.

This puts JAKIM in a dilemma. No matter what it does, it is simply impossible to please everyone!

Once again, it shows that promoting national unity requires prudent management and long-term effort, something that can never be achieved overnight.

Leaders must walk the talk, always putting inter-community harmony, national unity and inclusivity above personal or partisan interests.

In the age of the Internet, the space for free expressions should have been made available to everyone. But unfortunately, the seemingly borderless cyber world has been reduced to an exclusive platform for only the privileged few, rational communication becoming a luxury. 

Racial and religious hatred continues to run wild on social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, thanks partly to hypocrisy and instigation on the part of people in power.

Social media has become a hotbed for hateful speeches, like a time-bomb ready to go off anytime at the trigger of a sensitive issue carelessly raised by a politician. When this happens, all Malaysians irrespective of race or religion will have a hefty price to pay!

The accumulation of ill-feeling is akin to boiling a frog in warm water. It will come to a boil eventually.

In view of this, I feel that the friendly gestures of Muslim organisations such as JAKIM deserve our heart-felt commendation. 

We all must take the first step, as we can only promote unity through actual contacts; only communication can create harmony; and only understanding can dispel misunderstandings.

Don’t let the sparks on the Internet set our country ablaze. We must step out of the virtual barriers that stand in our way, and walk into one another’s real worlds, upholding our precious diversity and treat one another with kindness, friendship and tolerance.