A word of encouragement from Pak Lah

Words of encouragement have poured in for Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching after she was pulled into a centre of a political storm by Umno and Perkasa over a recent surauvisit, with former premier Tun Abdullah Badawi the most notable surprise VIP sending her a Twitter message “Don’t worry, you'll be fine”.

Indeed, the past week has been tough for the 29-year old UK-trained lawyer, especially with Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali hurling violent words and rehashing the shooting of American civil rights fighter Malcolm X in a bid to intimidate her on Sunday.

Tun Abdullah

So worried were her parents that Nie Ching had to call home to reassure them. DAP secretary-general and Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng later held a press conference to slam Umno-BN for politicizing the issue.

“We the people shall keep you safe,” Guan Eng promised her.

Still despite her youth, Nie Ching has managed to hold up well and accepted many of the criticisms leveled at her with good spirit. She has apologized to the Selangor Sultan and is now careful to wear the headscarf or tudung when she goes to Muslim places of worship.

“I will clarify and apologise to the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, over the issue,” she said in a statement on Saturday.

DAP Jangan main api!!! Bangsat!!!

Umno Youth

However, befitting the spunk that one would expect from a YB, she has not stopped going tosuraus even though Umno Youth members have ratcheted up their rhetoric with words that do not reflect well of their culture – DAP Jangan main api!!! Bangsat!!!

Umno leaders are apparently upset because to them, it was haram or illegal for Nie Ching to enter the surau at Kajang the previous weekend although she had been invited by the suraucommittee to do so.

Teo Nie Ching at the surau in Bangi

Matters came to a head when Umno newspapers Utusan and the Star further heated the issue to help BN gain political mileage over DAP.

However, unfazed, Nie Ching has since visited anothersurau - the Al-Muhajirin surau in Bangi. Again, her purpose of being there was to hand over a donation on behalf of the Selangor state government.

Muslim leaders including PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat and former Perlis mufti Dr Asri Zainul Abidin have repeatedly said there was nothing wrong for a non-Muslim to enter a mosque or a surau. According to PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar, the National Fatwa Council encourages it as an effective way to propagate Islam.

However, Perkasa’s Ibrahim believes differently and has called on the government to ban non-Muslims from entering Muslim places of worship.

It is really unbelievable. This is bulan mulia and all Muslims are expected to, besides the mandatory fasting, do good to their fellow beings, whether Muslim or otherwise. But what have we here. A bunch of UMNO linked bozos are spewing hate, lies and what have you at non-Muslims who going about doing charitable work to the Muslim community in their constituencies. The least people like Ibrahim Ali and Utusan could have waited until the festive season is over then have the matter brought up, but in a dignified way. Teo Nie Ching may be naive about proper behaviour in a mosque but does not mean Ibrahim Ali and his ilks can start crucifying the poor girl. Allow me to cite extracts from The Beatitudes in the Bible when Christ said:

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10

With this episode, the support for the BN is further eroded as everyone including Muslims in this country can see the bullying nature of UMNO, more so on a girl who is doing good for the community.