Don’t use Buddhist event to stage political attacks

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My letter was earlier published in Malaysiakini.com on 6/1/2015

It was hurtful to see that both MCA president Liow Tiong Lai and Penang Gerakan chairperson Teng Chang Yeow were using a Buddhist event in Penang recently to criticise and condemn an opposition party and its leaders, especially the Penang chief minister.

Both Liow and Teng should use their own political platforms to do so as it would be inappropriate for both of them to take advantage of a sacred and religious event to voice their criticism and condemnation of others.

The MCA leader and Penang Gerakan chief had earlier attended the 123rd anniversary celebration and induction of the seventh abbot of Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam, Penang recently.

We wish to stress that it is not wrong to promote the course of moderation via your statement in the said Buddhist event but to go overboard and resorting to political attacks during the same event is definitely improper, especially when both of you were invited by the temple’s hosts, Venerable Xian Guan and the Most Venerable Seck Jit Heng, the current and past abbots of Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang.

Are both MCA and Gerakan trying to hoodwink the Chinese community via Buddhism and its auspicious event?

Please, if MCA and Gerakan wanted to stage political attacks against their opponents, they should stay away as far as they could from Buddhist temples or monasteries.

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