What does an average person understand by unity in Malaysia?

Is it unity at any price?  Should one accept the criticisms and mockery of one’s religion?  Author Dr. Harcharan Sigh Bhullar was accused of being malicious in ridiculing his previous Sikh religion after he embraced Christianity.  MCCBCHS has requested the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs to take the necessary action against this author calling for the ban on his book entitled, “Starting all over again”. 

According to Assistant Secretary of MCCBCHS, Mr. Harcharan Singh, “National Unity should mean the collective will of the people to work for the common good.  The essential ingredients are respect for the other and for his religious beliefs, and equal rights for each person as a citizen”.  He also said that it is necessary for each racial group to think of the common good of the country as a whole and not with sectarian interests.  The various racial groups should think of the national good for Malaysia and how to achieve ‘BANGSA MALAYSIA’, he said.  Each race, each individual must be allowed to practise his or her religion as ardently as he or she whishes.

Mr. Harcharan also said that another element that is necessary for unity in Malaysia is the sharing of economic benefits.  Those who are in a position and have the necessary skills should ungrudgingly help those left behind irrespective of racial origins.  In our Rukun Negara, the very first article is “belief in God’.  In order to nurture this, he added, each religious group in the country needs government assistance.  Should the Government not look into the spiritual needs of its citizens after all, he asked?