PAS has announced plans to pursue legal measures against housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming for his “spineless allegations” and “malicious defamation” following his criticism of the party’s opposition to a Christmas event at his ministry.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan asserted that Nga, a DAP vice-chairman, accused PAS of being “deviant”, “propagating deviant ideologies”, “misusing religion”, “harming societal harmony” and “preventing Christmas celebrations” after PAS Youth vice-chief Hanif Jamaluddin raised concerns about the Christmas celebration that included Muslim staff members.
Takiyuddin contended that since the nation gained independence, no governmental ministries or agencies have publicly organized religious festivities aside from Islamic events at state premises, particularly involving Muslim officers and staff.
“PAS holds the DAP leader, who serves as the minister, entirely accountable if his thoughtlessness creates tension and revisits a troubling chapter in the nation’s past that serves no one’s interests,” he stated in a release today.
In spite of all the discussions surrounding harmony, unity, and the appreciation of diversity, Nga has brazenly undermined and defied not only the authority of the nation’s religious leaders but has also meddled in Islamic matters.
By labeling PAS as not just “deviant” but also “propagating deviant doctrines”, he asserted that Nga’s actions can be interpreted as transgressing the powers and jurisdiction of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay rulers, who serve as the heads of Islam. Moreover, he challenges the National Fatwa Council’s authority and the religious bodies entrusted with determining the religious status of Muslims.
“This authority is not possessed by any individual or political party, especially not a non-Muslim,” he stated.
Takiyuddin remarked that Hanif was merely questioning the ministry’s sensitivity toward the celebration, referencing the 2005 guidelines issued by the National Fatwa Council concerning Muslim involvement in events commemorating non-Islamic religious festivals.
He noted that Hanif also included a legal clarification from the federal territories mufti’s office dated December 24, 2023, regarding the permissibility of Muslims participating in Christmas carols.
He expressed that both the guidelines and the legal clarification from these two prominent Islamic institutions impose stringent conditions on Muslim participation in such matters.
“Given these considerations, the concerns voiced by Hanif are legitimate and ought to be approached with diligence and transparency,” he articulated.
Takiyuddin further refuted Nga’s assertion that PAS’s perspective on Christmas was contradictory, in light of the fact that it criticized a Christmas festivity after extending Christmas greetings on social media.
He clarified that PAS has consistently conveyed festive greetings during various religious and cultural celebrations as a sign of acceptance and reverence for the religious and cultural plurality that is an essential aspect of Malaysian society.
The uproar erupted following the emergence of a video depicting Nga celebrating Christmas at his ministry, which included some Muslim staff members.
FMT reported that an insider from the ministry stated that attendance at the function was not mandatory for personnel and that the carollers who performed were Christians from East Malaysia.
