PATRIOT takes very serious note of news reports today about how some parties have attempted to run down the outgoing Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.
According to the news reports, she was “vilified by naysayers and critics for being anti-Islam.” Patriot, in taking serious offence to such attempts, joins the Chief Justice in questioning what gives these institutional destroyers the standing or authority to judge the faith of others.
In her final speech as the outgoing Chief Justice at the Opening of the Legal Year 2025, Tengku Maimun said she “has been criticised, vilified, and labelled un-Islamic or an enemy of Islam,” including having her spouse unfairly used against her in attempts to force her recusal (Malay Mail, Wednesday, 8 Jan 2025).
Patriot joins the many law-abiding citizens and right-minded civil societies in demanding an immediate stop to such disgraceful, dangerous, and totally unacceptable abuse of religious sentiments and attempts to rig, demoralise, and undermine the sanctity of peace, harmony, and trust that is much needed to build our struggling beloved nation.
For far too long, we have been witnessing unabated ploys to gain political mileage or achieve dubious party agendas by exploiting people, institutions, and situations using religion.
This must stop now, or Patriot will not hesitate to galvanise all right-minded, patriotic citizens to march against such derogatory, destructive political agendas at work.
Patriot will rise against any tide to protect the institutions of the country. Unfairly criticising and labelling institutional heads as un-Islamic—as in the case of our country’s top judge—is also tantamount to disgracing our national image in the eyes of the world.
Most certainly, such diabolical attempts by individuals, political parties, and agentries are definitely unpatriotic and extremely intimidating. Politicians and their stooges who continue to punch holes in the armour of nationhood should be forewarned.
Patriot’s members, who consist of retired uniformed servicemen who never hesitated to risk their lives and limbs in defending our nation, as well as civilians and professionals who have joined Patriot, will not hesitate to defend the nation by marching for a final purging of using (abuse) religion, race, and self-interest to destroy our institutions and those honourably appointed to discharge their duties to citizens and the country patriotically. — January 9, 2025
Lt Col Dato’ Zarazilah Mohd Ali (Rtd) is president of the Patriot National Association.