A glaring lack of finesse

0

TWO public lectures in Kuching were cancelled in the past week.

News that the special lectures, organised by the Islamic Information Centre (IIC), were non-starters got into my news folder on Tuesday evening, eliciting some curiosity on my part to find out more immediately.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, who confirmed the cancellation, said he made the decision after taking into consideration the concerns of the churches.

He pointed out that the state did not want to create disharmony among the various races and religions, especially between Christians and Muslims, which, he said, was totally unnecessary and undesirable.

The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS), citing the reason that the title of one of the lectures ‘Muhammad SAW in the Bible’ would not help in fostering better understanding between Christians and Muslims in Malaysia, forwarded its views on the matter to the organisers of the public forum.

The message was personally conveyed to the Chief Minister’s Office. No media were invited and no statements issued.

The ACS should be credited for broaching the issue with diplomacy and moderation. Credit should also go to Daud and the state government for advising the organisers to drop the event – which was promptly heeded.

In an almost immediate response, Daud was quoted by The Borneo Post as saying: “IIC organised the special lecture in good faith and did not intend to offend anyone in the multi-religious society of Sarawak.

“This is the thing that we overlooked. There are things that we think are normal but are sensitive (to other religions) so we told IIC to be careful.”

Considering two lectures had been scheduled for two days and a speaker had been invited from the Middle East, IIC’s immediate compliance too deserves a pat on the back. After all, Sarawakians are known to uphold values and virtues befitting a harmonious close-knit community. For all intents and purposes, it should have been a live happily ever after sort of ending but what I saw in my news folder later gave me a jolt.

From the news folder in the newsroom, my colleagues and I saw these scathing remarks from state PKR chairman Baru Bian:

“Is it too much to ask that they (Muslims) display the same sensitivity to the feelings of Christians that they demand from us where their religion is concerned?

“Imagine how the Muslims would feel if a group of Christians proposed to invite a Christian scholar to talk about the Koran. I shudder to think of the reaction from the extreme ‘defenders of the faith’ in West Malaysia,” he said.

While I can understand Baru’s reference to how Christians in the peninsula are having to put up with irrational and unreasonable interference by the authorities in the practice of their faith, the situation in Sarawak is quite different.

Therefore, for him to infer that the special lectures had created much unhappiness among Sarawakian Christians – even without being held – does come across as unseemly, if not unprofessional.

I was prompted by Graceworks in its e-commentary – Freedom of Speech – to read an article by Jesse Carey which was published on the Relevant website under the title ‘Discretion, Free Speech and Charlie Hebdo’.

Carey wrote: “Free speech is vital to a Christian worldview. As Christians, the freedom to exchange ideas, the ability to criticise those in power for the sake of justice, and the liberty to have honest dialogue – even with our Creator – is woven throughout Scripture.”

Baru might have affirmed he is not against the freedom of expression but it would have been more appropriate for him to compliment the prompt action of IIC and those in charge of Islamic affairs, and let the matter rest. The issue could have been addressed with discretion, understanding and compassion, not provocation.

Notably, Baru hinted the organisers could have other motives when he said: “The burning question is how could the organisers have the temerity to plan a lecture centred on the Bible without inviting the participation of those that possess the greatest understanding and knowledge of the Bible.”

Most would agree this is less than a statement of humility given the fact that due cognisance had been given to inappropriateness of event, and that it was cancelled – admittedly without much pother – and never held as a result.

Baru showed discernible strands of thought when he said it was not his intention to try and curb free speech by going against public lectures such as those organised by IIC. But the way the issue was addressed through his “freedom of speech” assertion seems contradictory. No curb on freedom of expression but no public lectures at the same time!

Carey said: “Christians must be able to support the ideal of free speech while recognising that it can be used in ways contrary to our command to love our neighbours as ourselves.”

Perfect love, the Apostle John says in the Scriptures, casts out fears. While none of us loves perfectly, it seems logical that even imperfect love reduces or controls fear.

In an article titled ‘Loving Your Enemies’, the writer Dan Martin provides ample food for thought when he aptly notes: “We might even say the two are inversely proportional – the more love, the less fear, and vice versa.”