KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian student clubs overseas should be inclusive when organising unofficial gatherings, but at the same time, individuals should not impose their religious beliefs on others, a former president of a student society in the UK said.
Goh Cia Yee, who was president of Nottingham Malaysian Society 2015/2016, was weighing in on the recent social media controversy involving Aisyah Shofi, a government scholar in the UK who has stirred a debate about inclusivity after calling out the Malaysia Society (MSoc) in Manchester for hosting an afterparty at a club where alcohol would be served.
Posting on X, Goh said an afterparty should be inclusive as the students who were committee members and volunteers for the main event had worked hard. He said in his experience leading the MSoc in Nottingham, many of them had been Muslim.
“To have the society organise an afterparty at a club where committee members and volunteers can’t join seems like a disservice.
“Sure, organise an afterparty privately but putting it under the society’s name when one of the aims of NMG is inclusivity can give a bad impression,” he said in a thread, referring to the Nottingham Malaysia Games held when he was president.
Goh, however, also criticised Aisyah’s TikTok video in which she said holding an afterparty at a nightclub where drinking alcohol was involved was not “Malaysian culture”, and was a misalignment with Islamic practice.
“That being said, I strongly believe no one should impose religious obligations unilaterally.
“If you are Muslim and you want to drink, you should have the right to do so without anyone shaming you. If you’re non-Muslim and you want to party, go ahead,” Goh said.
Goh also then made a reference to Aisyah’s status as a government scholar which was revealed by other social media users following her video.
“If you are an elite enjoying taxpayer money and not even part of the society, maybe stay in your lane?” he said.
Aisyah, in her video, had also said that holding an afterparty at a nightclub following the Malaysian Games in Manchester was disrespectful to the Muslims invited, and added that she was giving a “friendly reminder” to non-Muslims that alcohol was unhealthy to consume.
Her video’s reception led to a barrage of reactions both for and against, prompting Aisyah to disable comments. – November 26, 2023