Parti GPS — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star
PETALING JAYA: Industries and retail associations commended Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing for calling out on "extremist culture".
In a joint statement, nine associations of retailers and small and medium industries (SMEs) said that calls that intervene in communities' freedoms should not be tolerated as it will fracture the harmony between races and cultures.
"We unreservedly commend the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister for his courage and conviction to voice out the overarching intervention of politicians on ‘extremist culture’ in our country.
"Their callous actions will cause further fracture to the mutual respect of all communities living harmoniously in our multiracial, multicultural society and further divide the nation in this era of rebuilding a united and progressive society.
"There has always been mutual respect amongst all our rakyat in our different communities and it is this very diverse yet harmonious culture which has made Malaysia distinctive and uniquely attractive to tourists.
"We call on all ministers in this unity government to similarly speak up and right any wrongs on any relevant matters, immediately and without any delay, so as to halt any further misunderstandings and unnecessary simmering of hurt and of extremism," they said on Monday (Jan 16).
The nine were bumiputra Retailers Organisation (BRO), Industries Unite (IU), Building Management Association of Malaysia (BMAM), Federation of Malaysia Business Associations (FMBA), Malaysian Association of Theme Parks & Family Attractions (MATFA), Malaysia Retailers Association (MRA), Malaysia Retail Chains Association (MRCA), Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPK) and Restaurant and Bistros Association (PPRB).
On Jan 14, Tiong said that an "extremist culture" that harms the nation and destroys the harmony of a plural society should not exist.
He was commenting on the actions of PAS' Muhammad Fawwaz Muhammad Jan, who demanded that a beer promotion event at a mall in Penang be covered up.
Tiong said that Fawwaz, as Permatang Pauh MP, should understand that Malaysia is a multiracial and multireligious country.
"Malaysians have lived in harmony and tolerance for decades; don't destroy it in the blink of an eye," he was reported to have said.
