This is exactly the spot where my daughter's tutor sits when he comes to tutor her.
He is a pious Christian. His free times are spent on missionary works. And when he is at my house, he has to sit under those frames.
Did he complain that I was trying to convert him? Or that those Arabic names for Allah and Muhammad would lead him astray from his faith? Or that they would "rosakkan aQidah saya?"
Did he ever request that his sitting be changed? Or that those frames be moved away or at least be covered by a batik sarong?
Did he ask me to "respect" his faith? Or not to "insult" him or his faith?
Well, he never did. Not even a word about those.
That raises a question. Why is it that many Muslims in Mesia nowadays demand to be "respected" just because they are fasting? Why the need to close school canteens during Ramadhan? Why must non-Malay pupils be asked to drink behind closed doors and even in the toilet? Just because our kids are learning how to fast? Well, aren't the non-Malay kids as well?
I don't care whether the minum-air-kencing statement was a joke. That misses the point.
The point is why must non-Malays adjust their life to facilitate us, Muslims Melayoos, to fast?
If that was necessary, why don't we ask our non-Malay brothers and sisters not to study too hard so that we the Melayoos could at least get respectable marks during exams compared to them? Ask them to "respect" our inability to get good exams results? (I am not saying ALL of us are unable lah...so please don't get emo with me here).
Or ask them not to work too hard so that they don't make too much more money than us.
I call it self-pity.
Which is, a pity, really.