Saturday October 21, 2006
Govt warns private sector on circulars that provoke religious sensitivities
By Stephen Then
MIRI: The Government warned private sector organisations to refrain from issueing internal circulars or notices that can provoke religious and racial sensitivities.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said the Government will not allow such provocative circulars to be issued, even if they are only meant for internal circulation.
He warned the management of private sector organisations that they too must be accountable and responsible for ensuring racial and religious harmony in their workplace.
"Whether it is an internal matter within a private company or within a government agency, the Government will not allow any racially and religiously provocative directives to be issued.
"We will not allow this sort of thing to happen, even if it involves a private sector department only.
"The Government's policy is that we must ensure room for harmony among all races and religions, whether in the government or private sectors.
"What happened in the 'Takaful incident' must not be allowed to happen again. The Government will ensure no repeat of such things. This sort of directive should not have been issued in the first place," he told a press conference here after attending a Buka Puasa dinner with staffs of the State Welfare Department and Miri RT members on Friday night.
Takaful Malaysia syariah department head Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa created an uproar last week when he issued an e-mail to his staffs instructing them against giving festive greetings that he claimed were against Islam.
Fauzi claimed that wishing Happy Durga Pooja, Happy Lakshmi Pooja and Happy Deepavali was like greeting the Hindu gods.
Takaful has since apologised and retracted the directive.
Maximus said the issue went up to the highest level in the country and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had personally expressed his unhappiness over the incident.
The Prime Minister's Department considers this issue closed, but wants it to serve as a lesson to all.
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