No ban on Prophet’s birthday procession, says CM
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today denied a report that his government has cancelled this year’s Prophet Muhammad’s birthday procession.
“It’s a lie, it’s a lie, it’s a lie,” he told Malaysiakini in response to the report in Utusan Malaysia that the procession had been cancelled by the state government.
Lim, who participated in the procession two years ago, said that this year’s procession would go ahead as planned.
The embattled chief minister has come under severe criticism over the past few weeks for allegedly being anti-Malay.
“Muhyiddin Yassin is welcomed to join in the procession,” added Lim, referring to the deputy prime minister’s criticism over the alleged cancellation.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has weighed in on the controversy.
Abdullah, who is also the chairman of the Malaysian Islamic Understanding Institute (Ikim), said the cancellation of the procession gave a picture as though the state government presumed that the procession would cause harm.
“Such an opinion should not have been in the mind of the state government because the Maulidur Rasul (Prophet Muhammad’s birthday) is celebrated every year,” he told reporters at Ikim in Kuala Lumpur today when asked to comment on the Utusan Mlaaysia report.
“If the procession is prevented, it may result in other processions from being held on that day,” he said.
“This may lead to uneasiness because the procession could become a protest. This must be avoided.”
Malaysiakini - Feb 12, 2010
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/124353
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