Of Maulidur Rasul and Perarakan WAJIB

Well Maulidur Rasul is around the corner, next thursday apparently. Which is quite interesting as Good Friday also falls next week (on a friday i think :P). I've just had an interesting planning session with my coursemates. We're planning to visit each other on the 2 days of celebration. I was in a great mood frankly, walkin back from class. It seems like all the hate-mongering and fear spreading on the inherent intolerance that multicultural societies MUST have (and therefore needs to be dealt with using patronizing, unfair and ultimately self-serving national policies) is just hate-mongering and fear spreading after all.

Then i just had to read a notice on the hostel notice board.

I could have gone the rest of the day in complete blissful ignorance.

But instead I JUST HAD to read that notice.

It read:
"Sempena Maulidur Rasul 2008, pihak kolej dan universiti akan mengadakan perarakan Maulidur Rasul. Semua warga kolej WAJIB hadir."
The notice then goes on to remind students that measures will be taken to check the attendance and further stresses that diciplinary action will be taken against students who do not attend i.e. may be sick, dying, busy, uninterested, feel that it is against their sensibilities to attend, or plain just have a life.

I have nothing against a perarakan for Maulidur Rasul. Thats your democratic right baby. Just make it orderly, peaceful, inclusive and respectful.

Heck if the notice had read:
"Sempena Maulidur Rasul 2008, pihak kolej dan universiti akan mengadakan perarakan Maulidur Rasul. Semua warga kolej DIJEMPUT hadir."
I'd go. Its not like I have a life.
If there was free food, I'd be the first one there.

So why is this such a big deal?
Because the university and kolej admin are not even considering that there may be some students who feel that it is against their sensibilities to attend a Muslim event. And that is their democratic right. They have the right to CHOOSE not to attend.
Its blatant steamrolling over other peoples opinions, beliefs and sensibilities. Enforced, no less, by threats of diciplinary action. Not very democratic izzit? And not the best way to encourage tolerance and acceptance. Great way to breed resentment.

I'm not goin to this charade. How can I? I'd just be there hating everybodys guts for forcing me to come. And thats not fair to my Muslim friends who may be there to just celebrate a good day in the Muslim calendar.
Besides, fuck you UNIMAS.

You know, if it had been an open invitation, i would definitely had gone. Just to mingle with my Muslim friends, find out what the celebration is about and why its so important. I would have loved to have learned something, made new friends, hell it could even have been a cultural experience.
More importantly it could have been a step to bring the students, regardless of race or religion, together as a Bangsa Malaysia.

Congratulations UNIMAS. Once again you have gone above and beyond to create a Bangsat Malaysia.

Contemporary and Forward Looking eh? Fuck you.