President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), Dr Chandra Muzaffar said today that the perception among many people that the crisis in Syria is a ‘struggle between Sunnis and Shia Muslims’ is untrue.
“Many people in the country believe that what is happening in Syria is a Sunni-Shia struggle and they have to take the side of the Sunnis because the vast majority of the Muslims in this country are Sunnis,” he said during a press conference after a forum entitled, ‘The Conflict in Syria: An Insider’s View’ in Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Chandra said based on the real situation in Syria, 70 percent of the population is Sunni and that the majority of the top positions in Syria’s public services sector are held by Sunnis.
”You just look at Bashar Assad’s own household, his wife is Sunni… so how can he be against the Sunni? His children are Sunni and Shia at the same time,” he said.
He said the Syrian do not generally attach too much importance to their religious, instead they are very proud with the fact that they are Syrian citizens.
Dr Chandra applauded the Syrians who placed ‘common sense of citizenship’, describing it as something remarkable.
He said the spirit applied by the Syrians is something that Malaysians should also keep in mind.
Meanwhile, Dr Chandra also dismissed the perception that the Shias in Syria are the main threat to the Sunnis.
“And they feel that the Shias are threat to the Sunnis… and the Shias are the ones who are causing more trouble, why because president President Bashar Assad comes from a branch of the Shia community and Iran, who happen to be Shias, support Bashar Assad,” he added.
The crisis in Syria began after protests asking for the release of political prisoners and were immediately met by Syrian security forces who at first detained and attacked protestors with batons, and later opened gunfire, and deployed tanks and naval ships against civilians.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad refused to halt the violence and implement meaningful reforms demanded by protestors such as the lifting of emergency law, broader political representation and a freer media.
Assad continued to deny responsibility for the attacks on protestors, placing the blame for the violence on armed groups and foreign conspirators instead.
The world, including Malaysian were quick to assume that the crisis is struggle between Sunni and Shia, due to certain factors contributing to perception including Hizbullah's (who are Shias) support towards Assad.
Haider Yutim
Wed Jul 03 2013
Tiada lagi ulang tayang Piala FA
Semua video ulang tayang perlawanan Piala FA dari perlawanan pusingan pertama akan dibatalkan mulai musim depan.
Niaga SPOTLIGHT: Financial Inclusion via Innovative FinTech
12% of Malaysia ie; 7 million Malaysians, primarily from rural areas are unbanked - meaning they cannot access any financial services.
This is a dire need in Malaysia due to the country’s fast growth rate in mobile banking and e-money transactions, which quadrupled to RM800 billion in 2021.
Moreover, the existence of financial inclusion gaps among underserved communities such as women, gig workers, and lower-income earners requires significant attention.
Niaga Spotlight speaks with Nisa Ismail, CEO, Sedania As Salam Capital Sdn Bhd (SASC) about the latest in Financial Inclusion via FinTech to help close socioeconomic gaps, especially in rural areas.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaSPOTLIGHT
This is a dire need in Malaysia due to the country’s fast growth rate in mobile banking and e-money transactions, which quadrupled to RM800 billion in 2021.
Moreover, the existence of financial inclusion gaps among underserved communities such as women, gig workers, and lower-income earners requires significant attention.
Niaga Spotlight speaks with Nisa Ismail, CEO, Sedania As Salam Capital Sdn Bhd (SASC) about the latest in Financial Inclusion via FinTech to help close socioeconomic gaps, especially in rural areas.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaSPOTLIGHT
Niaga AWANI: Pendidikan AI sekolah rendah: Pembangunan masa depan digital
Di sekolah rendah di Malaysia, pelajar akan diperkenalkan kepada asas AI dalam mata pelajaran baharu yang dipanggil Teknologi dan Digital bermula dari 2027. Apakah persiapan yang diperlukan setiap sekolah untuk memastikan pelahar lebih muda dibawa masuk ke dunia penggunaan AI yang bertanggungjawab?
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: MOSTI sasarkan penubuhan 900 pemula niaga menjelang 2026
Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi (MOSTI) menyasarkan untuk memudahkan penubuhan sehingga 900 pemula niaga kecerdasan buatan AI menjelang 2026 melalui program perintis AI Sandbox 2024.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Klopp terima kenyataan kurang ancaman punca Liverpool tewas
Mohamed Salah kurang menunjukkan prestasi terbaiknya sejak kembali dari kecederaan hamstring.
Niaga AWANI: Sinergi diperlukan bagi merealisasikan aspirasi mampan negara
Kenyataan itu juga mengatakan bahawa RHB telah mencapai kemajuan yang ketara ke arah operasi neutral karbon, mencapai pengurangan 43 peratus dalam pelepasan gas rumah hijau (GHG) operasi berbanding garis dasar 2016, merangkumi Skop 1, 2, dan 3 (Perjalanan Perniagaan melalui Jalan dan Udara.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
AWANI Pagi: Raya Oh Raya: Alamak! Poket dah "kering" ni
Diskusi 8.30 pagi Jumaat bersama Dr Nur Lalua Rashidah Mohd Rahsiad, Pengurus, Perhubungan Korporat Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) mengenai pengurusan kewangan selepas berdepan perbelanjaan yang banyak dimulai sesi sekolah dibuka diikuti puasa dan hari raya. Ini termasuk bagaimana pengurusan yang baik boleh membantu membawa keluar keluar daripada pergelutan kewangan sementara menunggu gaji bulan seterusnya.
Niaga AWANI: RHB tingkatkan sasaran perkhidmatan kewangan kepada RM50 bilion menjelang 2026
Menjelang 2030, RHB menyasarkan untuk mencapai pengurangan 20 peratus dalam sektor ini. Menjelang 2050, matlamat RHB adalah untuk mencapai pengurangan sehingga 96 peratus dalam pelepasan yang dibiayai merentas lima sektor.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Reformasi Ekonomi: Antara subsidi, mekanisme & kesejahteraan rakyat
Pengarah dan Penganalisis, Research Institute for Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore (ITS) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Dr Md Shukri Shuib mengulas berkenaan usaha rasionalisasi subsidi petrol yang akan dilaksanakan kerajaan, serta impak kepada reformasi ekonomi ini.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Iran beri amaran Israel terhadap tindakan kententeraan lanjut
Seorang komander Pengawal Revolusi Iran berkata, Iran boleh mengkaji semula "doktrin nuklear" berikutan ancaman Israel.
COVID-19: Tiada kes kematian, 100 kes pulih, 38 kes baharu
Malaysia terus mencatatkan perkembangan yang baik apabila tiada kes kematian melibatkan COVID-19 pada hari ini (26 April 2020).
Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan: Ini soalan lazim yang sering ditanya pada MOTAC
Susulan pengumuman Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan pada Isnin, pelbagai persoalan yang timbul ditujukan pada Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya (MOTAC).