[ad_1]
Kedah Menteri Kissing Mohammed Sanusi Md Nor has gone irrational with the Hindu festival of Thaipusam.
He has announced that the festival or “cuti peristiwa” destined for Thaipusam in Kedah will be canceled.
The cancellation of events associated with Thaipusam is not intended to negate the holidays intended for him.
Sanusi cannot make a distinction between a holiday destined for Thaipusam and why the events associated with Thaipusam were canceled.
Penang was the first state to announce that Thaipusam-related events would be canceled and Hindu devotees were asked to pray at home.
A week later, the National Security Council (MKN) announced the cancellation of the main activities of Thaipusam but with some flexibility for one or two events with strict adherence to the SOPs.
Neither Penang nor the federal government tried to cancel the vacation reserved for Thaipusam.
The Covid-19 pandemic could be here for some time, but the federal and state governments are doing their best to contain and flatten the curve.
There is no need to cancel Thaipusam holidays in states like Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Perak and others.
The pandemic is not going to be here forever for us to cancel vacations.
But Sanusi thinks and acts as if the Covid-19 pandemic is here forever.
Anyway, I don’t see any link between not having Thaipusam in pandemic conditions and the need to cancel the holidays.
Thaipusam may not be celebrated in its various forms, but the cancellation of events, including prayers, does not negate the religious significance of Thaipusam.
Yes, devotees may not be able to afford to enjoy the events and mass prayers in the temples, but January 28, 2021 is still Thaipusam.
Thaipusam will not be denied for cancellation of events, but will be celebrated in a controlled manner with prayers in homes.
Unfortunately, Sanusi doesn’t seem to understand this simple logic.
Given this, why should he cancel the holiday or “cuti peristiwa” destined to fall on Thaipusam? Sanusi continues to act and behave in extreme ways.
Thaipusam festival means a lot to Hindus, but now it has been forcibly taken away in Kedah.
Will Hindus in Kedah see the return of the Thaipusam holiday once the pandemic subsides?
Would you cancel the holidays for the Chinese New Year and other religious holidays?
Is this the way PAS respects the multi-racial and multi-religious character of Malaysia?
P Ramasamy is the Vice Minister II of Penang.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
