Another serious embarrassment for the “Madani” (civil and compassionate) government.
This time it happened in a way that reflects the depth (or the lack of it) of the Madani spirit in the present “unity government”.
Was it Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s idea? The commitment among some ministers, civil servants and party officials to Madani principles seems shallow or non-existent.
It was another embarrassment for the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department responsible for religious affairs, Na’im Mokhtar. He had said that the proposed controversial inter-religious guidelines would also cover the involvement of Muslims at events held at non-Muslim places of worship.
Under these guidelines, now scrapped, there could be no speeches or songs with religious propaganda or performances that would affect Muslim sensitivities. Non-Muslim premises could not display religious symbols of the non-Muslim faiths during events attended by Muslims.
Did this not show a total ignorance of the multi-religious landscape of Malaysia? This land is dotted with mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, Sikh gurdwaras, churches and other places of worship.
The now-reversed guidelines were based purely on fear. How could these places of worship insult Muslims? If anything, the insult lies in the thinking among certain quarters that Muslims are so vulnerable that visiting such places or attending such occasions would result in their conversion!
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This only highlights the weakness of the ‘Malay political’ mindset prevalent among many politicians. They show little appreciation for the feelings and convictions of the country’s minorities.
How do they think they can create a civilised, skilled and inclusive society with such rules? The problem lies with a mindset that reflects bigotry, self-righteousness and arrogance.
However, at ground level we see much understanding and a sense of harmony – something that only thoughtful politicians and people on the ground are able to appreciate.
This reality on the ground poses a challenge for many bigoted politicians. After all, they rely on issues of identity to exploit and further divide society. They use fear to manipulate people.
Between their talk and their performance, many politicians fail badly. They are only concerned with raw power and exhibit this through their verbal outbursts in Parliament.
How many of them are able to discuss with intelligence issues related to the rising cost of living, the climate crisis, flood mitigation strategies, unemployment and underemployment, technology and inflation?
Instead, they resort to name-calling and divisive ethnic and religious issues. So, we hear little discussion of substantive issues relating to people’s basic needs.
Perhaps the religious affairs minister needs to go on a sabbatical to study the nature of other religions in Malaysia. Instead of promoting harmony, he presented a fear-based set of guidelines.
If he had any sense of self-respect, the minister would have resigned for underestimating the people’s innate wisdom. One would have expected so much better from an appointed senator with his educational credentials.
I wonder if he has any close ethnic minority friends and those from Sabah and Sarawak with whom he could have honest conversations. Madani requires of him to check policies, guidelines and bills and ensure they conform to the values highlighted in that vision. Otherwise, it is all hypocrisy at best.
Does he not understand that the Madani vision highlights three foundational values – respect, trust and compassion. The very fact that those guidelines breached issues relating to respect, trust and compassion – key yardsticks of the Madani vision – make them unworthy of any consideration.
Let’s watch out for the mindsets of religious officials who play the identity card. This is not something unique only to Malaysia but also is prevalent in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, with Hindutva in India and the Christian right in the West. Fuelled by fear and a sense of religious righteousness, these self-styled spokespersons embarrass themselves.
Such ideologies hijack the spirit of their faith traditions. Consider the gap between Judaism and Zionism, between Hindutva and Hinduism, between ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacist thinking) and Islam, and between Christian Zionism and Christianity. Such radical and fundamentalist expressions appeal to those mired in fear and a sense of victimisation.
While Islam is free of priests and religious intermediaries, the sad reality is that this space has been largely taken over by certain religious officials who through institutions like Jakim promote divisiveness. Their emphasis should be towards inspiring harmony and inclusiveness. When such individuals speak out of tune and engender divisions, they should be censured.
In Malaysia, some have called for ‘moderate Islam’. What does this actually mean? The agenda for moderate Islam is often set by those perceived as extremist or on the far right. In an attempt to sound less extreme, they coin terms like moderate Islam.
What this nation needs is not moderate Islam but progressive Islam. The same can be said for issues in India in relation to Hindutva or in the US in relation to the far right.
Progressive Islam addresses the challenges faced by believers in this era. It includes justice for Muslim women, education and health issues.
Progressive thinking provides opportunities to fulfil one’s full potential. It is about moving from patriarchy to equality and fairness and recognising the diversity in our world. This is the same challenge facing all other religions. We seem to be living in a glorious past which was not so glorious when deeply studied. Globally, it involves understanding the demands of justice and a fairer distribution of wealth.
Unless societies address the challenges facing them today, their only alternative is to reflect on an imagined period of glory and wellbeing or to view their current state of affairs through the lens of envy of others.
When will the ‘Malay’ mindset in Parliament, especially the Barisan Nasional parties and Bersatu evolve into a ‘Malaysian’ mindset?
For decades, Putrajaya has exploited or overlooked the needs of the people of Sarawak and Sabah. The day of reckoning has arrived with the endorsement of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
The religious affairs minister needs to understand the sentiments of the people of Sarawak and Sabah. Does he even know that Christians represent a larger proportion of the population in Sarawak and that the Sarawak Constitution does not even speak of an official religion?
How many of our present BN politicians are ready to apologise to the people of Sabah and Sarawak for the way they have treated them? It is easy to see the wrong done to the Palestinians and other victims of conflicts. But the need of the hour lies in an inner jihad, the capacity to see ourselves, our wrongs, and to make a difference.
An independent truth and reconciliation committee will unearth through honest conversations the deep feelings and mistrust that exist.
Today, many of us have a greater understanding of the negative impact that the autocratic BN rule over decades has imposed on Sabah and Sarawak, two of three equal members of the Federation of Malaysia.
The call by these two territories to have 30% representation protects their interest and the interests of the minorities in the peninsula and ensures that the Federal Constitution will not be used to shift the goalposts.
The world is threatened by the narrow mindsets of Zionism and Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump and America First, the far right in Europe, Hindutva in India, and ketuanan Melayu in Malaysia.
Humanity is the casualty and religion becomes a prison house. The need is to liberate our mindsets to be inclusive, just as the air we breathe in and the blood we share and the consciousness we are enveloped with all represent what we share universally.
To be human before our ethnic and religious identities is the call of the hour. As the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy so rightly expressed, “If you feel pain, you are alive, and if you feel the pain of the other, you are human.”
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
True! Beautifully worded. That’s how Africa, Afghanistan became today. From being free to a prison. Thank you.