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Malaysian preacher sparks backlash over language on Hungry Ghost Festival banner
The controversy focused on a municipal notice about the Hungry Ghost Festival being posted in Chinese rather than Malay, Malaysia’s national language.
A Malaysian preacher and conservative commentator has faced backlash after questioning why a banner for the Hungry Ghost Festival was written in Chinese instead of Malay, the country’s national language, according to SCMP Economy. Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, an ethnic Chinese Muslim convert known for provocative commentary on race and religion, criticized a routine notice about the festival’s rites, asking whether the municipal council had monitored the organizers who put it up, SCMP Economy reported. On social media, Tee said the situation raised concerns about where Malaysia’s national language stood, adding that religious freedom should be respected alongside national agenda considerations, the outlet wrote. The Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival, is observed by Chinese communities on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, typically falling in August or September, SCMP Economy said.