A preacher and prominent conservative commentator has drawn backlash in Malaysia after questioning why a banner for a traditional Chinese festival was not written in Malay, the country’s national language.
Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, an ethnic Chinese Muslim convert known for provocative commentary on race and religion, was criticised by social media users and a Selangor politician for casting a routine notice about the Hungry Ghost Festival as an issue of language and national identity.
In a post on his social media account on Saturday, Tee questioned why the banner, which displayed information on the festival’s rites, was written in Chinese and asked whether the municipal council had monitored the organisers who put it up.
“Is this China? Where does our national language stand?” Tee wrote. “Religious freedom is assured but the national agenda must be respected.”
The Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival, is celebrated by Chinese communities on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, usually falling in August or September.
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