TAKING TO THE STREETS WILL NOT SOLVE MINORITY ISSUES - MACMA

By Salbiah Said

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Minorities should engage with the
government to solve problems instead of taking to the streets which can be
detrimental to their cause, says Deputy President of the Malaysian Chinese
Muslim Association (MACMA), Dr Muhamad Fuad Abdullah.

"They should think of how best to engage with the government. Hopefully, the
government will be able to understand them better," he said.

He was asked on China's crackdown on the Muslim Uighur minority early last
month. Some 140 people have been killed and more than 800 wounded in riots
between ethnic Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese that rocked the western China over
the weekend.

"It is saddening when such incidents take place, especially when Muslims are
being killed. Muslim minorities, whether in China or other countries, should
take this path (engagement) rather than other routes. Rioting will not solve
problems," he said in an interview with Bernama recently.

As a non-governmental organisation, MACMA itself has taken the 'musyawarah'
(mutual consensus) path to solving issues among the community. Through its
non-religious activities, it has been engaging with the non-Muslim Chinese since
inception 1995.

"We invite non-Muslim Chinese to participate in our activities, and we also
celebrate cultural events which are not religious in nature, such as the Chinese
New Year. With that approach, MACMA has been able to reach out to many
non-Muslim Chinese," he said.

MACMA has come along way since its establishment, with activities aimed at
building bridges between Malays and Chinese Muslims and between Chinese Muslims
and non-Muslim Chinese, and credit, said Dr Fuad, should be given to its able
and dedicated president, Mustafa Ma, son of the late Ibrahim Ma.

In the more recent history of Malaysia, Ibrahim was known for his
contribution in introducing Islam to the Chinese people, for the first time in
the Chinese language.

In 1961, Ibrahim was asked by the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman
Putra Al-Haj, to assist him in an important aspect of nation building. Tunku had
the vision that if more Chinese were to understand Islam, or better still,
became Muslims, this would help in bridging the racial gap between Malays and
Chinese.

Thus, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam Malaysia (Perkim), a welfare association
for Muslims was born, with Tunku Abdul Rahman, Ibrahim Ma, Tan Mubin Sheppard,
and Ubaidullah as the founding members.
Ibrahim died almost two decades ago. But the legacy of his work in Islam is
carried on by his children.

MACMA was born out of an idea by a few Chinese Muslims who wanted an
association focused on the community, with the Chinese being the largest
minority in Malaysia, said Dr Fuad, who joined the association in 1996.

To date, the association has 10 branches nationwide with 2,500 members, with
activities focused on welfare, dakwah (preaching) and education.

Welfare work is foremost in its activities. It has so far organised events,
drawing participation from non-Muslim Chinese and in collaboration with
residents' associations and mosques.

He said for more than 10 years, MACMA conducted regular seminars to convince
authorities such as the Registration, and Islamic Religious Departments to allow
Chinese Muslims to use their surnames.

"Today, Chinese Muslims are allowed to keep their surnames," he said. Based
on 2005 statistics, there were about 57,000 Chinese Muslims in Malaysia, and the
figure could have grown to 70,000-80,000 by now, said Dr Fuad, who was conferred
the Outstanding Muslim Convert Award at the National Muslim Converts Convention
2009 on July 25.

He received the award together with Tun Jeanne Abdullah, wife of former
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and preacher Kamaruddin Abdullah.

Dr Fuad, who was named the Selangor Tokoh Maal Hijrah in 2000, has played a
leading role in teaching Muslim converts at weekend al-Quran recitation classes
at Surau Al-Ikhlas, Bangi.

"I am happy and honoured to receive this award. It is not something that I
was looking for and hoping to get. Of course, any award comes with
responsibility. It naturally gives me a sense of responsibility that I need to
contribute rather than an honour itself.

"I hope it will give me encouragement as well as others, especially new
Muslims to contribute towards Islam. For me, it is business as usual, and will
contribute and do whatever I can towards the people and the nation," said Dr
Fuad, who is an electrical engineer by profession and has a degree in syariah
law from a university in Jordan.

He is also a director of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia
(IKIM).
-- BERNAMA