Tak-a-fool?

“ Seluruh kakitangan Malaysia adalah dilarang untuk mengucapkan ucap selamat kepada ketiga perayaan di atas dan lain-lain lagi yang sepertinya kerana ianya boleh menyebabkan berlakunya syirik.” – Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa, CEO, Syariah department, Takaful Malaysia, Oct 3’ 06

The excerpt above was taken from the e-mail circulated in Sykt. Takaful Malaysia Bhd. In fact, it included an exclusion clause by head of PR, Lokman Abdul Rahman:

“Note: This was an internal mail and so far we do not have any problems with our staff regarding the mail. There are about 1-2% non-Muslim staff. We even have a consultant from India. We have a syariah department whose job is to look into these things. They check with Islamic scholars to verify the facts and advise the staff accordingly, but it is up to the individual to follow this advice.” The mail extensively explained that Muslim employees who have “committed the sin of extending such greetings” to repent immediately.

If you remember paying your school Takaful fees, this e-mail excerpt would bring agonizing thoughts. At least to me it does. Takaful, as we are well aware of, claims to have its products and services insured to non-Muslims as well. In fact, their so-called ‘visi dan misi’ states that, “The basis of Takaful Malaysia’s operation is founded on the principles of syariah with the primary objective to provide comprehensive takaful facilities and services to Muslims and ALL Malaysians…”

So it seems that there is a conflict between Takaful Malaysia’s corporate culture and its corporate mission. Don’t you think it is hypocritical when Takaful Malaysia enforces its culture of non-regard for other faiths but at the same time canvass for business opportunities among non-Muslims->some of whom do not even have a choice but to be clients of the company?

Besides that, does wishing your neighbour a “Happy Deepavali” makes you a lesser Muslim? Does extending a “Selamat Hari Raya” make you a lesser devoted Christian, Buddhist or Hindu? Just because you wish someone Happy Greetings does it mean that you are embracing his beliefs and religion?

Sigh.
p/s: While many people from the NGOs and government sectors are doing every little bit they can to forge ties between many different races, there are some who would go the extra mile to widen the gap. Indeed, it is hard to play a good song when your players hear a different drum beat.