JOHOR BARU: An assemblyman has chided a DAP member of parliament for suggesting that the need to introduce an anti-discrimination law in the wake of the issue regarding the laundry operator in Muar who introduced a Muslim friendly policy.
Kempas assemblyman Datuk Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid Jumat said Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching should instead propose the introduction of an anti-hypocrisy act.
"People need to know the difference between race and religion and there is a clear distinction. When an entrepreneur opens a unique business that can clear the conscience of his Muslim consumers, that is pertaining to religion even if it is not an edict.
"That is his choice if we are to promote free enterprise in this country, just like pubs and bars are permitted in a predominantly middle-class Malay Muslim areas like Taman Tun Dr Ismail (in Kuala Lumpur)," said Tengku Putra in a posting on his blog, The Patriot.
However, he said when a company made it a mandatory condition for job applicants to be well-versed in Mandarin or other Chinese dialects to seek jobs in a state, it was considered racial and the proprietor could be called racists.
Tengku Putra shared the links to job advertisements which required applicants to be fluent in Mandarin on his blog post.
"It is generally discriminatory when you don't support something that is good for the conscience of Muslims but support or remain quiet on anything that is for the benefit of a certain minority. In fact I wouldn't call that discriminatory, it should fall under the category of blatant hypocrisy.
"So, I suggest the DAP MP not drag the good name of His Majesty the Sultan of Johor when certain topics serve (her) interests but remain quiet when His Majesty addresses the issue of a One School System for all," said Tengku Putra.
He was responding to a news report which quoted Teo as saying that the anti-discrimination law was needed in Malaysia so that such behaviour could be resolved without the need for a royal intervention when such an issue emerged.
Teo had said the incident was just the latest reminder about the importance of a law to ensure equality or at least to prohibit discrimination on the basis of faith, gender, and race.
The issue came about after pictures of a notice at a laundrette which stated it was only serving Muslim clients went viral on social media.
Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar then issued a decree ordering the laundry operator to cease the discriminatory policy or face closure.
The ruler also ordered Johor Religious Affairs Committee chairman Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim and other authorities to investigate the matter.
The operator has since removed the policy and apologised over the matter.