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UM students plan inter-faith event with IndonesiaUniversiti of Malaya students plan inter-faith event with IndonesiaUM students plan inter-faith event with Indonesia The Star 1 Oct 2007. PETALING JAYA: Taking a leaf out of an inter-faith sahur event in Jakarta, Universiti Malaya is organising a get-together here on Wednesday, where non-Muslims will join in the pre-dawn meal for Muslims intending to fast. The event will be linked to the Indonesian one, held at Jakarta's Grand Cathedral, via tele-conferencing. The Malaysian side will hold the event at the Ungku Abdul Aziz Residential College in the UM here. The local organisers of the sahur serumpun (indicating people with similar regional roots) expect about 1,000 people, mostly from the campus community and invited guests, to attend the function, held from 2am to 6am. Discussing details: Mohammed Nasser (third right) discussing details for the event with student leaders and university officials. They are (from left) Mohd Imran Nol Hakim, Mohd Efendi Omar, Mohammad Iqbal Yusof, Mohd Firdaus Abdul Halim and Fizal Husin. In Indonesia, where holding a sahur in a cathedral during Ramadan had been done before, the event is being organised by a group known as the Positive Movement. Movement member Inayah Wulandari, 23, the youngest daughter of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, had invited Malaysian youths two weeks ago to hold the event on the same day and to link the two sessions via tele-conferencing. She had contacted student leader Mohammed Nasser Yusof, a final year law student and general manager of the UM Students Business Centre here, who agreed it was a good idea. Inayah's story was carried on Sept 18 in mStar, the Malay news portal of The Star, and has since been discussed at public platforms, with dissenting Muslims voicing their concern about the religious significance of the sahur being eroded. Inayah said holding the sahur in a church was nothing new in Indonesia, stating that her Positive Movement had done it for two years. She said the Christians would prepare the food for sahur and the Muslims would join in the meal together with them at the cathedral. "Inayah is my friend. We met as youth leaders in August, while attending a summer camp," said Mohammed Nasser. "I agree with Inayah's intention to promote harmony, mutual understanding and youth relations between the two countries. "However, she has her way of doing things, while we (Muslims in Malaysia) have ours. "We do not promote the liberalism and pluralism as subscribed by Inayah. Ours is the Islamic way," he said. While acknowledging the criticisms, he said he would not be cowed into disengaging himself from Inayah. "This can even be an annual event," said Mohammed Nasser. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp |