Wesak Day Message
by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Friday):

DAP wishes all Buddhists A Happy Wesak Day to mark the occasion of Lord Buddha’s birthday enlightenment and achievement of nirvana. We all hope to emulate the values in Lord Buddha’s teachings that allow humanity to live in peace spiritually as well as physically and in prosperity.

This year's Wesak Day theme, Respect Human Rights, Promote Mutual Understanding is in accordance with universal Buddhist values of goodness, compassion, reciprocity and equality. Buddhism stresses on goodness and compassion; that suffering can only end if we detach ourselves from attachment of worldly things and deep emotions; focusing only on doing good.  

However compassion should only cover those who show remorse and shame for the wrongs they have committed and not extended those who continue to commit wrongdoings, immoral acts and corrupt activities. For this reason, those who continue to commit corrupt or immoral acts without any shame do not deserve any consideration except punishment.

Compassion has given birth to a reciprocity that we should treat others as we want others to treat us and the concept that all human beings are equal. This year’s Wesak Day theme of respect human rights are reflected in the principle of rule of law that justice must be applied equally and the respect for basic human rights in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

DAP regrets the incident in Kampung Rawang Baru in Gombak where a young Vietnamese woman was auctioned off for RM 18,000, a national shame that is against all religious norms. As all religions have common universal values, we should strive towards uniting ourselves against wrong and sinful values that attempts to divide us.

Malaysia should delight in our diversity of cultures and religions. We should not try to highlight the differences that divide us. But search for the common good values that unite us. For this reason, the universal values of goodness, compassion, reciprocity and equality inherent in Buddhism and all religions should also be a necessary condition for good governance.