Guan Eng defends Muslim countries, calls Soi Lek ignorant

Lim: Muslim countries are suffering from the same problems suffered by India and China previously.

GEORGE TOWN, August 7 — Lim Guan Eng today said he differed strongly with Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s portrayal of Muslim countries as backward and corrupt nations, pointing out that the MCA president should educate himself on Islamic civilisation. The Penang chief minister said Dr Chua should educate himself in history that the civilisation of Islam was filled not just with global empires, but also with glory in art, learning, algebra and astronomy.
“Muslim countries are suffering from the same problems suffered by India and China previously,” he said today at the launch of Caliph Umar Abdul Aziz International Integrity Conference at Eastin Hotel here.
“Only when India and China were free, independent and not dominated by imperialistic powers, were they able to realise their potential and take their place in the world stage,” he added.
Dr Chua had said yesterday that some of the most corrupt countries in the world had a Muslim-majority.
He also appeared to criticise Umno as well as PAS yesterday for using religion to compete for Malay support. Dr Chua blamed this on how the country had been trapped as a “middle income” nation for more than 10 years, claiming that the competition between the two Malay-centric parties had led to some “non-progressive policies”.
Lim said today that Muslim nations could recapture their past glories like India and China, if they were allowed to be similarly unshackled like the two countries.
Later at a press conference, Lim told reporters that Dr Chua was just trying to distract the attention from the real root of the problem, which he said was Umno.
“Don’t blame it on Islam; I think that’s not fair,” he said, adding that Dr Chua should instead ask “serious questions” to Umno on issues such as sports gambling and on “kalimah Allah”.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was also at the press conference, agreed with Lim.
Anwar said Dr Chua “had clearly displayed ignorance and arrogance” over his remarks.
“In my mind this is unacceptable of a party leader in the coalition,” he said, adding that leaders who wish to save the country must strive to increase their knowledge.
He also said that it was important for non-Muslims to understand the contributions of the Muslim community and vice versa.