‘Finding a place under the Malaysian sun’

Aliran will celebrate its 48^th anniversary with a dinner themed “A Malaysia for all: Celebrating diversity and inclusion” on 22 February.

Since its inception in 1977 as a multi-ethnic reform movement, Aliran has promoted justice, freedom and solidarity – irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

So, how have we as a nation fared in celebrating diversity and inclusion?

Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak said in August 2024 that Malaysia has been hailed as a multicultural success story: “Malaysians of all races, religions and geographic locations need to believe that they have a place under the Malaysian sun.”

He adds that “even in parts of the world purported to be inclusive, minority populations often experience appalling, everyday degradations… We must work to eradicate every one of these acts of aggression, from the macro to the micro, because all of them, however small, represent an attack on human dignity itself.”

But, judging by what happens in Malaysia, it is often the majority and dominant Muslim population – or at least some people or entities that claim to represent them – that often project themselves as being victims of acts of aggression and feel constantly under siege. The majority Muslim population is portrayed as a group that needs to be continually protected, guided, reminded and defended, with the loudly proclaimed aim of “protecting the sensitivities of Muslims”, “preserving the sanctity of Islam” or simply “avoiding confusion among the public”.

Interestingly, those who claim to do it out of reverence for the constitutionally entrenched position of Islam as the religion of the federation and special position of the ethnic Malays/Muslims conveniently forget that the legitimate rights of the minorities – including the right to profess, practise and propagate their religions – are also entrenched in the Federal Constitution, albeit with some limitations.

Many years ago, I was given friendly advice by a Muslim colleague: “Don’t touch Islam, even with a 10-foot pole,” when I had commented in private about a halal/non-halal issue at work.

Indeed, non-Muslims are often told, politely or otherwise, to stay out of Muslim affairs.

But there are many instances where the actions and decisions of Muslim individuals or Islamic authorities, carried out in the name of Islam or supposedly only affecting Muslims, have affected non-Muslims as well, usually negatively.

Just ask Indira Gandhi, who has been waiting for over 15 years for the relevant authorities to implement the valid custody and recover orders so that she can be reunited with her youngest daughter.

Take the case of the recent ‘guidelines’ announced in Parliament by the religious affairs minister. These set a slew of conditions and restrictions on the participation of Muslims in non-Muslim celebrations and events – conditions which directly affect non-Muslims as well.

The minister contended that these proposed guidelines, by the Islamic development department Jakim, were drawn up with “noble intentions”. The aim was to foster “social and cultural harmony” in multi-religious Malaysia.

But the potential negative impact of these controls and restrictions on both Muslims and non-Muslims was clearly evident.

Unbelievably, the minister seemed oblivious to this impact and the dampening effect the guidelines would have, especially on interfaith activities.

Many publicly voiced outrage and concern over the inherent political and social repercussions of these guidelines.

Even more disappointing, yet again, the minister had not discussed the guidelines with all the relevant stakeholders – including cabinet members, MPs and the various faith groups – before announcing the plan in Parliament.

Even the prime minister appeared unaware of it. Only a few days earlier, at a Chinese New Year open house, he had admonished certain quarters that made an issue of Malays celebrating Chinese New Year and Thaipusam. Nero fiddling while Rome burns comes to mind!

Still, in the cabinet system of government, one would have expected all government proposals to be discussed in the cabinet first and only announced publicly after it had received cabinet approval, with the Prime Minister being ultimately held responsible for all cabinet decisions. The buck should stop with the PM.

Is this a manifestation of tyranny of the majority – where guidelines supposedly for Muslims may one day become policy that affects everyone in Malaysia?

Or is it simply a case of putting the cart before the horse due to inexperience or incompetence within the “Madani” government?

Perhaps it is yet another attempt by the “unity government” to out-Islamicise its political rivals in its bid to win over more Muslim support.

Or is it something more insidious, as has been proffered before – the deep state working through the religious authorities to destabilise the unity government?

After much public protest, the PM finally announced the cabinet has dropped the controversial guidelines. Yet, the credibility of his Madani government had been eroded by yet another self-inflicted wound from ‘friendly fire’.

In another recent issue, government leaders, especially non-Muslim cabinet ministers, were reportedly warned or reminded by Umno’s ulama council to exercise caution when commenting on matters related to Islam and Muslims.

This, the council said, was to avoid the creation of negative perceptions that could be manipulated and provoked by certain parties that would frame it as a threat to Islam.

The council cited two recent issues – the ham-and-cheese sandwich controversy involving the use of false halal logos and alcohol sales in a Muslim-majority area in Ipoh.

Let’s put aside the questionable jurisdiction and overreach of the ulama council of a political party. Why did the council direct its message especially at non-Muslim cabinet ministers when it is invariably Muslim politicians, especially from its own party and Pas, who seem hell-bent on pouring oil on fire?

It seems as if the ones who easily take offence and feel offended – even when none is intended or done on purpose – are also the ones who are quick to offend and attack others, to the point of inciting violence both through words and actions.

One could question whether these state-sanctioned actions and decisions by Muslim religious authorities and entities are genuine efforts to protect the sanctity of Islam, preserve national unity and respect ethnic sensitivities.

Or are these in effect acts of aggression that attack the dignity of both Muslims and non-Muslims?

Are they, in fact, thinly veiled attacks on minority non-Muslim rights and a further erosion of freedom of expression of both Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia?

Many laws and regulations are already in place to ensure public order and stability. Then there are the slew of fatwas and guidelines that provide guidance and protection for Muslims in Malaysia.

Obviously, we need some limits to free speech. Yet, the use of phrases like “national unity”, “stability and security”, “intent to provoke a breach of peace”, “religious sensitivities” or simply the “three Rs” to justify controls and restrictions on the freedom of expression leaves room for abuse of power and political manipulation.

This is because these terms are ambiguous and not clearly defined either by law or policy. Hence, they may lend themselves to subjective interpretations by those who wield power and result in selective enforcement and prosecution.

Malaysian society and the Muslim population in particular are not homogeneous entities, as can be seen from the varied reactions to this recent controversy.

The Umno youth wing chief defended the need for more guidelines as “not all Muslims have the same knowledge and understanding” and need reminders, while telling non-Muslims not to interfere in the matter.

And true to form, Pas’ youth wing justified the need for the controversial guidelines. It said the guidelines were necessary to safeguard the faith of Muslims and maintain Islam’s position as the religion of the federation.

The wing also questioned the right of DAP youth leaders to interfere in Muslim matters, labelling them as “insolent” – even if some of these DAP leaders are Muslim elected representatives.

What is more concerning is that the youth wing’s leader seems to be advocating for a theocracy in disguise, with the cabinet and government subservient to the National Fatwa Council.

So, while some Muslims will probably hail Jakim and the Umno ulama council as champions of Islam, there are definitely others who disagree.

Not everyone has the courage to speak their mind publicly like Siti Kasim, who, in her trademark colourful ranting, decried these acts as excessive controls by religious authorities and an insult to her intelligence as a Muslim.

Others like Kadir Jasin and Rafidah Aziz spoke out against the mollycoddling of Muslims, excessive intrusion and social policing.

It is refreshing to hear some Muslim and non-Muslim politicians from within the unity government expressing dissenting views publicly.

Tapah MP M Saravanan called for the PM’s immediate intervention while highlighting the absurdity of some of the proposed conditions that could damage national unity.

Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan pointed out how the proposed guidelines would complicate and hamper the work of elected representatives.

Syerleena Abdul Rashid, the MP for Bukit Bendera, spoke out against divisive rhetoric that uses fear and intimidation. She urged all political parties to handle sensitive issues through engagement and dialogue that fosters understanding instead of discord.

Many would have been relieved to hear the recent statement from the Selangor sultan, who as head of Islam in the state, expressed his disapproval of such guidelines and decreed they were untimely.

So, what can we ordinary people do to arrest such erosion of our basic rights and stop acts of aggression that erode our human dignity? How can we ensure inclusivity and safeguard our diversity?

Do we throw in the towel, pack our bags, maybe with a PR in our pocket, and head to another country we believe will give us a better place in the sun? Many have done so already. Perhaps many more would if they could.

True, there are Muslims in Malaysia who would want to live in a segregated, Muslim-only residential area, with Muslim-only launderettes, no alcohol or pigs in sight and everything certified by a halal logo.

But for most of us, Malaysia is our motherland where we found our place in the sun. Here, we live together side by side, as we continue to do what is needed to reclaim our nation from bigots and corrupt, self-gratifying political leaders.

And there are many avenues to do that today, as individuals or through organised groups. The recent incidents and controversies related to religious rights and sensitivities show us that much more needs to be done.

We all need to promote genuine interfaith dialogue and build trust among people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Dialogue can take place in many ways – ranging from the individual level to organised groups. The basic prerequisites are mutual respect and understanding that goes beyond mere tolerance. We must build bridges and engage with others different from us.

The government should provide an enabling environment for the many groups doing commendable work in promoting grassroots interfaith dialogue.

As outgoing Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat pointed out, there are widespread misconceptions about some Islamic teachings, including among Muslims themselves, as seen in some recent cases.

These misconceptions may cloud public perception and influence reactions to high-profile cases, she said. They may also jeopardise policymaking and implementation if the Muslim-majority civil service is also caught up in these misconceptions, especially regarding the position of Sharia law and religious fatwas within the wider administrative system.

Does this explain why Zakir Naik, despite reportedly being imposed a nationwide ban on public speeches in 2019 by the police, was given approval by the state mufti to address a crowd in Perlis, with his comments given wide coverage on social media? We wait with bated breath for the home minister to clarify the matter.

Hence, there is an important educational role to be played by Muslim religious entities, especially those like Jakim that are generously funded from the public purse, to correct misconceptions and guard against deviations from true Islamic teachings. They also have an important role to play in ensuring the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law within the Malaysian system of governance.

We must not remain silent and complicit in the face of any attack on our basic rights, including our freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

In recent years, we have seen how people power has pushed back against attempts to curb our democratic rights. In the case of the recent controversial religious guidelines, the widespread public outcry resulted in the minister backpedalling and providing more information to clarify the consultation process.

It is heartening to learn that all faith issues will now be discussed with the national unity minister and representatives of all the major faith groups in the government’s harmony committee.

Aliran has always made it clear that we as a nation must uphold inclusivity and protect the rights of everyone, especially marginalised and vulnerable groups.

We do not condone or encourage actions and criticisms driven by Islamophobia. But we will also call out any attempt to politicise and weaponise religion to shut down legitimate criticism and concerns in a democracy.

Aliran believes diversity is an asset that should be celebrated and treasured in multi-ethnic Malaysia.

Mary Magdalene Pereira
Co-editor, Aliran newletter
9 February 2025

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

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