Wesak Day Message

by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): 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 harmony, both spiritually as well as physically, and in prosperity. 

Buddhists believe that one can only gain merit by doing good to others regardless of race and religion. This year's Wesak Day theme, “Religious Harmony, Key To Nation-building” is in accordance with universal Buddhist values of doing good, compassion, reciprocity and peace. Without religious harmony, the country would never be at peace. For that reason there must be mutual respect and not just tolerance of the diverse cultures and religions in Malaysia.   

The non-Muslim community is greatly disturbed by recent events that affect non-Muslim religious and civil rights. Even though non-Muslims have a constitutional right to seek redress in civil courts and not to be subject to Islamic syariah laws, such rights appear in grave danger. Families have been forcibly broken up and non-Muslim fathers stripped completely of their rights as a parent even though they are biological parent.   

The spirit of mutual respect evident during Merdeka in 1957 that served the country so well is giving way to religious intolerance and oppression. Establishing the Inter-Faith Council (IFC) comprising all religions would mark an important step towards reversing this dangerous trend and improving mutual understanding. The government must take this IFC initiative of promoting dialogue with all religious groups and not perpetuate a notion of dominance by considering the reasoned views of religious groups such as Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Sikhism, Hindu and Christianity.  

Malaysia should delight in our diversity of cultures and religions. We should search for the common good values that unite us instead of focusing on the differences that divide us.