Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Paying Respect to late Johor Sultan ... why BAR Non-Muslims?

Following the rumours about the enforcement by corrupt officials who allegedly collected RM300 from unsuspecting victims, it is good that the Star has published a detailed guideline for those who want to visit the royal mausoleum in the article
Mourning for Sultan Iskandar to end on Saturday.
Going by the number of people who are still wearing arm-bands, many people still feel the sorrow at the demise of the ruler who reigned for more than 30 years.
However, I wonder why there are different sets of rules for those who want to pay their respects.
According to the article,
"Muslims would be allowed to enter the mausoleum while non-Muslims could extend their prayers and condolences from the entrance".
I would have thought that if people are appopriately attired and behave properly, everyone should have equal access to pray.
In life, the late Sultan did not limit non-Muslims from seeing him. So it is strange that in death, rules are being made to prevent the people he loved to bid him a last farewell.
May he rest in peace.

1 comment:

yellowkingdom said...

Same thing with the arm-band. Rumours spread that police were issuing summonses to non-Muslims flouting the 'rule'. However, when HRH Sultan Ibrahim clarified that wearing the arm-band is a voluntary and symbolic gesture and NOT a 'rule', it set a lot of people's mind at ease.