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Praba Ganesan, The Malaysian Insider

No two persons would agree on most things, with some of those contentions separated by a values abyss. It would seem on the face of it that resolutions for those fundamental contentions would be improbable, if not impossible.

Relationships are never easy, but they are necessary.

Their necessity prompt, nay force, constant efforts to work them out.

Cringing through his marriage, my uncle often tempered his predicament by saying, “You have to go home sometime, somehow.”

If you bought relationship/marriage advice books, or complex geo-political theory dissertations (great reading on “dateless” Friday nights), you’ll find massive agreements in them, surprisingly. And they would both pity my uncle.

Which brings me to the Sepang Town Council meeting last week, and what hogged it.

A night-stall operator in one of the council’s food-courts was about to lose his licence because he was sub-letting the unit to someone else. Part of the action report included an unverified complaint that the sub-let was serving pork.

Some councillors were annoyed that a non-issue was attached to a matter which was straightforward to decide.

So being the one prone to asking the forbidden, I just queried why the council had a rule against pork being served on council premises.

The answer was curt and uninspiring from the council president

“There is a nationwide tradition barring pork in government buildings, in order to respect Islam as the official religion.”

Nodding away, one councillor asked for the tradition to be inked down as a regulation.

READ MORE HERE

Comments (4)

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written by Trueandfair, July 02, 2009 15:13:10

One man's meat is another man's poison.

Pork - haram to Muslim and Jews
Beef - "haram" to Hindus and Buddhists (more of respect for the giving nature)
Lobster, crab, cockles, prawns and all crustecans - haram to othrodox Jews
ALL MEAT - haram to vegetarians
ALL VEGETABLES - haram to a carnivor
WATER - haram to hardcore alcoholics.
Politicans - "haram" to all sensible thinking MALAYSIANS !!

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written by freerpk, July 02, 2009 15:19:55

Could be the reason for closing the abattior in Kedah?

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written by gycgocnt, July 02, 2009 16:45:11

As a Chinese, I agree with Porks should be prohibited in all government building! This is not Kow-towing to those Malay officials, it's just to show some respect to other's religion.

But, have "OTHERS" respect Chinese religion??? We take dogs as pet in our home compound, why there are so many Malay children throw stone in our carporch? Is this the kind of "Return" deserved to us after we respect other's "Religion"?

When government torn down any pig abattoir or worship place of Non-Malay, the government ask us to "Respect" them!

When Malay kids throw some stone or playing door bell of Non-Malay houses, government ask us to "Tolerate", just because it might become a sentisitive issue!

Why there is "Double Standard"? Mr PM, the one who sloganeering with "One-Malaysia"!

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written by Mama Juwie, July 02, 2009 18:18:53

gycgocnt,

I do agree with you. Malays should respect their non-Malays neighbours who keep dogs as pets by not throwing pebbles into their houses as much as I would like their non-Malay neighbours not to allow the dogs to shit outside of their compounds, barking and howling unnecessarily at night, and let lose their dogs that they even attack other people. I had experience when I was small that the owner purposely let loose the dog to chase and bite (yes, bite) me just because I was playing nearby their house. It was only after the dog bit me that the owner called her dog back.

Wouldn't it be unfair to everyone if you allow an illegal structure (squatters, abattoirs, warung) to be built on public land? Others have to purchase land and get license to start business, but some are just doing it for free? These squatters are the ones who are disrespecting the authority. Please let the government do their job; or else some people will complain that the government is taking bribe for letting these illegal settlers to stay as long as they want.

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