Save Gaza: Protest against Egypt, not Allah ruling

Wong Choon Mei  
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8: PAS leaders have called on Muslims to show their love for Islam and solidarity with the Gaza Palestinians by taking part in a peaceful demonstration against Egypt, rather than join the frivolous Umno-instigated protest against the Allah court ruling.

They also invited all non-Muslims who wanted to condemn the atrocities committed in Gaza, where the people have been trapped and are now near to starvation after prolonged bombing and aggression by Israel, to join in the demonstration.


“Viva Palestina is first and foremost a humanitarian effort, it's about mankind helping mankind. So whatever your race or religion, if you want to show your sympathy against the brutality and atrocities suffered by the Palestinians in the Gaza, come to this demonstration,” Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad, head of PAS international bureau, told Harakahdaily.

“Muslims, of course, have a greater responsibility to attend. The Islamic world is small and it behoves us to help each other, especially our brothers who are suffering. Whereas the other protest - the one against the Allah ruling - is actually stirred up deliberately by Umno leaders to foster fear and hate against the other religions for their own selfish political mileage.

Two demonstrations on the same day

Both demonstrations are slated for Friday after solat prayers. The protest against Egypt is set to take place in front of the Egyptian embassy, while the Allah protest will be at the Kampung Baru mosque.

On Tuesday, more than 10 members of the Viva Palestina convoy were injured whilst seven were detained by Egyptian police during a demonstration there. The detainees include a Malaysian medical student Ibrahim Mohd Azmi, who had taken part as a volunteer from London on December 6.

Viva Palestina is a mission to send humanitarian aid to Gaza. It is made up of 450 people from various countries, travelling in 220 vehicles. Their journey began in London on December 9 and has moved through various places in Turkey, Syria, and Jordan.

It was supposed to arrive in Gaza on Dec 27, but was held up by the Egyptian government which refused to allow them to use the port of Nuweiba to enter Rafah en-route to Gaza.

"The decision was already made to lodge an official protest against the Egyptian government. Therefore, we call on all PAS members to congregate in a peaceful demonstration at the Egyptian embassy, and not join any other rally,” said Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, PAS vice-president.

"It is not something new. The plight of the Palestinians has always been a top issue for PAS and we will continue to get as much and help and assistance through to Gaza as possible," said Syed Azman.

The Umno-led demo, organised mainly by Muslim NGOs backed by the political party, wants to protest last week's High Court decision to allow a Christian magazine to use the word Allah in its Malay-language section.

They believe the name of Allah should be exclusive to their community. PAS's stand on the issue is that Allah can be used by non-Muslims on the condition that its usage is n ot abused or misused.