DAP says tudung issue is not about anti-Islam or anti-Malay

The Sun, Kuala Lumpur
12 November 2005

Tudung issue is not about anti-islam or Malay: DAP
Ng Kee Seng

KUALA LUMPUR: Parliamentary Oppposition Leader Lim Kit Siang says the
"tudung" issue is not a qustion of anti-Islam or anti-Malay.

"It is a question of the feelings and sensitivities of individuals in
a multi-racial society. There should not be any force or imposition to
wear it," he said in a media briefing in Parliament yesterday.

Present at the briefing was International Islamic University of
Malaysia (IIUM) law graduate Foo Yueh Jiin who was barred from
attending her convocation to receive her scroll last August because
she refused to don the tudung.

Also present at the briefing was DAP"s Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan,
herself an IIUM law graduate.

Lim said IIUM rector Prof Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan argument that
non-Muslim female students were required to wear the tudung as a sign
of respect to the religion and university "is therefore flawed".

"As an example, in the Cambridge University, where a graduate may
request the authority to omit the citing of Trinitarian Formula (a
Christian prayer) when receiving his scroll at a graduation ceremony.

"Such request is in no way a show of disrespect towards the
university, and the university does not suffer from any disrespect
when its students of different faiths made such request," said Lim.

"In a multi-racial and multi-religious society, as long as we dress
decently and respect each others" sensitivities, that is respect. Not
the use of force or using the excuse that it is part of a dress code.

"In fact, such use of force contravenes the prime minister"s Deeparaya
address that all Malaysians continue to exercise tolerance and mutual
respect in a multi-racial and multi-religious society.

"IIUM should therefore take the lead role to support the prime
minister by displaying and setting the example to show that Islam is a
tolerant religion that respects non-Muslims," he added.

Fong said: "Respect cannot be forced or imposed. Forcing individuals
to wear the tudung is a violation of personality.

"I was not as courageous as Foo when I read law in IIUM. My focus was
on getting the degree but I wore the tudung against my will."

Foo said she refused to submit to IIUMs arbitrary rule and missed her
convocation as she was not allowed to enter the hall to receive her
scroll without the tudung.

"The Cabinet had apparently made a decision on the tudung issue but
there is still confusion. The two national English newspapers, The
Star and New Starits Times (NST), presented contradicting reports.

"NST reports that the tudung should be made optional at graduation
ceremonies or convocations. The Star quotes (Higher Education Minister
Datuk) Dr Shafie Salleh as saying that IIUM convocation garments which
comprise tudung are compulsory attire for all female graduates.

"Shafie added that non-Muslim female graduates are not required to
wear tudung litup (a cloth covering the whole head) but scarves will
do," said Foo.

Foo hopes that IIUM will review its arbitrary rule and make the donning
of tudung during convocation and within the campus an option for its
students, especially the non-Muslims.

Ends

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