KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16- Malaysians tonight thronged Dataran Merdeka for the Pray For Malaysia programme in a show of solidarity during a time when Malaysia faces one tragedy after another.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and several other cabinet ministers also joined the massive crowd to offer prayers, asking for unity, well-being and peace for the country, among others.Meanwhile, Hindus and Sikhs also prayed at their respective temples while Buddhists and Christians will have a similar ceremony on Sunday.
On Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 which vanished on March 8, and Flight MH17 which went down on July 17 in Ukraine, taking the lives of 298 passengers and crew, the participants prayed that such incidents would be the last for the nation.
They also offered prayers for the people of Gaza – victims of Zionist cruelty – that they be given the strength so that they might one day enjoy independence like Malaysians.Participants of the programme extended their prayers, asking for Malaysia to be free from disease, danger and any form of disturbance.
The programme, which was broadcasted live on television, was also joined by Muhyiddin’s wife, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman and Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusuf and Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.The event was jointly organised by the communications and multimedia ministry, Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP), Yayasan Pendidikan Cheras (YPC) and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
The prayers started at 6.30pm with Zikir, followed by a sermon, Maghrib prayers, Yassin recitation and tahlil.Muhyiddin then performed Isyak prayers and special prayers in the middle of the Dataran Merdeka field, led by Federal Territory Mufti Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.
It was followed by recitation of prayers for the country, led by Federal Territory Mosque Grand Imam Zakariah Isa.Besides the missing Flight MH370 and Flight MH17 which was believed to have been shot down in Ukraine, Malaysia was previously tested by the invasion of militants in Lahad Datu, Sabah.
Tonight’s event was also made lively with selawat and qasida led by renowned ulama from Indonesia, Habib Syech Abdul Qadir Assegaf, followed by a tausiyah Cinta Rasul by Sayyid Ahmad Muhammad al- Maliki al-Hasani.The programme is a curtain raiser for Merdeka programmes lined up throughout August.
– BERNAMA
