Asri remains defiant after being called deaf by Dr Mahathir
PUCHONG: Despite being called a deaf by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin remains steadfast with his stand that the concerns of the people are not being looked into by the currrent government.
“There has been a lot of news this morning about Mahathir’s statement ‘Perlis mufti deaf’ in relation to my criticism that the voices defending Islam are being heard less by the leaders of today’s government. Muslims do not feel safe.”
“Anyone who can listen to the concerns of the people, that is the reality being voiced by all levels of Muslim society in the country. I am unsure who is the deaf one,” Asri stated, in response to criticism by the prime minister.
The mufti also said he would stay steadfast for his cause as stated by Dr Mahathir himself in an autographed copy of Doctor in the House.
Dr Mahathir had wrote the following in the copy of the book owned by Dr Asri.
“The doctor (Asri) is truly brave in your efforts to correct the religious teachings which confuse and divide the Malay Muslims in Malaysia.
“[…] Do not set aside the truth for fear. A struggle free from challenges and opposition is not a true struggle.”
Asri had complained that Muslims are being bullied following the arrest of Zamri Vinoth yesterday. In a 10:24 minute video that went viral Zamri questioned how did Hindus pray to 390 million Gods. He also described the Holy Trinity as a three in one God.
This resulted in over 700 reports lodged to the police against Zamri. Police have detained Zamri under sections 298A of the Penal Code and 233 of the Comunication and Multimedia Act.
Yesterday Dr Mahathir countered Asri by describing the latter as a deaf.
“If he could hear, he would have heard about how we have done all sorts of things for Muslims and for Islam,” Mahathir had said last night.
In defence of Zamri, Asri claimed that Zamri contributed to building good inter-religious relations and was arrested for merely “sharing his personal experience in converting to Islam”.
Asri also claimed, among others, that those involved in cases insulting the Prophet Muhammad and Islam merely had their statements recorded.
However there has been a number of arrests and charges involving those who have insulted Islam and the Prophet online under the new government, with one Facebook account holder even being sentenced to a 10 years and 10 months jail term.
