18 October 2006
Takaful Notice Offends All
The report "Takaful unit head makes public apology" in today's edition of your paper contains the statement "His email, echoing the call by the Perak mufti to refrain from wishing Happy Deepavali to Hindus, had caused an uproar among Hindus".
I must disagree with the implication that only Hindus are hurt by this incident. I am confident many Malaysians of all races, religions and cultures, myself included, oppose the intolerant and divisive attitude reflected in that email as well as in other pronouncements relating to festivals cherished and celebrated by us all. I urge your paper to be more open, aware and careful in its reporting, particularly on issues that affect us all.
Fellow Malaysians, speak up to show that these issues are important to us all irrespective of our backgrounds, and that when one community is affected, we are all affected.
Chin Oy Sim
Programme Officer
Women’s Aid Organisation
Takaful unit head makes public apology
The Sun, 18 October 2006
PETALING JAYA: Takaful Malaysia's Syariah unit head Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa yesterday made a public apology for urging Takaful Muslim staff not to send Deepavali greetings to Hindus.
Mohd Fauzi said he regretted that his call to Muslims, which was contained in an email he sent to the staff on Oct 3, had hurt people's feelings.
He said the views expressed in the email were his personal opin ion and not that of Takaful Malaysia.
His email, echoing the call by the Perak mufti to refrain from wishing Happy Deepavali to Hindus, had caused an uproar among Hindus.
The DAP had taken up the issue and demanded that Mohd Fauzi withdraw his email and apologise to Hindus within 48 hours. It also lodged a police report through its lawyer and central executive committee member, A. Sivanesa, on Monday.
A letter of demand was sent to both Fauzi and Takaful Malaysia.
Following a meeting yesterday between Takaful Malaysia, represented by CEO Mat Azmin Abu Bakar and public relations manager Lokman Abdul Rahman, and the DAP, represented by secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Sivanesan, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai and Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lan, Fauzi withdrew his call and apologised.