Kongsi, Gongxi.  

Posted by Kamelia

This is a rather belated reply to an issue made a few weeks ago. It is regarding all this nonsense about Kongsi Raya being haram. Basically what this supposedly religous man is saying is that muslims are entitled to celebrate on only two occasions. One being the Hari Raya Aidilfitri, and the other is Hari Raya Haji. Everything else in between is haram. *cough* I beg to differ.

As some of you would probably know, I am half chinese. My chinese counterparts being rather religious catholics. Yes. They go to church every sunday promptly, they do eat the occasional (or not!) pork, and as most of them are singaporeans, and the rest australians, they have never really been able to speak malay properly. (except maybe for the odd "Don't kacau" or "Let's have roti prata!" Despite our differences however, we are rather close because we are first and foremost family.

Whoever who made that statement has I'm sure pored over the issue for some time, and made his own brand or research. But amid all that he had probably forgotten people like me. The ones who travel 450km to celebrate Chinese New Year in Johor, and a furthur 20km to Singapore to celebrate Christmas. *gasp* you all go. "She what?? But isn't that haram?"

I have of course been lectured by no less my own ustazah when she found out about this when I was 9 years old. I myself am not sure how my Dad or Mom handle it, but throughout the years, I've found out that it's never really about celebrating the birth of Christ, or 10 things of what no to do in the Rooster year. It's about first and foremost celebrating being together as a family. It's about learning new culture and looking out for one another. Is it sinful doing that?

It applies for the rest of the country too. Kongsi Raya was never about celebrating someone else's religious or cultural roots. It's about getting together and catching up with one another, and being happy in each other's company. Forge new ties, and retaining old ones. For what kind of country would we be when everyone lives on their own island?

So to me, that statement will be joining that big virtual dung heap in my brain, right on top of that stoopid statement by one stoopid man who offered RM10,000 to men who would marry single mothers, and that Beautiful women should'nt work to give way to not so pretty women, as they can marry rich husbands, and that chickens turn green when they are sick.

So there!



Yeah, I was in a Church. So sue me!

This entry was posted on Monday, July 03, 2006 . You can leave a response and follow any responses to this entry through the Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) .

2 comments

Since when politicians ever said anything constructive? Literally, despite 'constructive' efforts of a Bangsa Malaysia, the best they've ever come up with are 'deconstructions'.

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