THE fact that a Puchong community welfare service institution is getting a bashing on social media for displaying the symbols of six religions close to each other atop its hall’s entrance, as mentioned by Joachim Ng in “Connecting Faiths” (theSun, Aug 25) is both disappointing and disconcerting.
It is a sad day if our diverse ethnicities and religions grow more socially distant from each other.
Put simply, splitting up our main religious or ethnic groups into “tribes” does not augur well for the need to promote and enhance harmony and unity in Malaysia.
Already, Malaysians generally may not have much opportunity to develop inter-ethnic relationships due to lack of diversity in schools and workplaces, among other factors.
Different religions should not present a major barrier to our integration.
The Puchong community welfare service institution should be commended for displaying the symbols of six religions close to each other.
Stimulating or increasing knowledge of our main religions can result in a more open and accepting mind, critical to enhancing our harmony and unity that are critical to our social and economic advancement as one united country.
Sze Loong Steve Ngeow
Kajang
