Malaysian Insider-Rusalina Idrus: Malaysia as a role model of what not to do

Malaysia as a role model of what not to do — Rusaslina Idrus

JAN 15 — Malaysia has once again set itself as a benchmark. This time a benchmark of what not to emulate: following recent attacks on churches in Malaysia, Indonesian Muslim organisations called on their followers not to copy the attacks that took place in Malaysia.

The chairman of Indonesia’s Muhammadiyah, Dr Din Syamsuddin, was reported in The Straits Times as saying, “We have issued a reminder to all our members and Muslims at large to be tolerant and not to be influenced by what is happening in Malaysia.”

In response to a Malaysian High Court ruling on Dec 31 overturning the ban against the use of the word “Allah” by the Herald, nine churches have been attacked by firebombs or vandalised in Malaysia in the past week.

Malaysia, up until more recent events, had been a shining example of a moderate Muslim country. Religious tolerance and ethnic diversity were proud markers of identity for the nation.

Malaysians proudly point out to foreign tourists that mosques, temples, and churches can very often be found on the same street. Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and Christmas are celebrated with equal vigour.

Muslims in Malaysia get upset reading about violence elsewhere perpetrated in the name of Islam. We shake our heads at religious conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia, and even Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Muslims in Malaysia lament about how these countries are giving Islam a bad name. Malaysians are grateful we are not such. Recent events, however, have changed this. From the cow’s head incident — in which a Muslim mob desecrated the head of a cow, a sacred animal for Hindus, in protest over the construction of a Hindu temple nearby — to the alarming attacks on churches in the recent furore over the use of “Allah” by Christians, Malaysia sadly has now turned from being a role model of tolerance to a model of intolerance.

There has been widespread and continued global coverage of the developments in Malaysia. Earlier this week, the BBC reported “Malaysia church attacks continue in use of ‘Allah’” row; The Washington Post reads “Church attacks in Malaysia deepen racial tension”; Reuters UK posted “Malaysian Christians fearful as church attacks rise”. An article in the Guardian titled “Malaysian church attacked with firebombs” quoted one of the 300 Muslim protestors who gathered last Friday to protest the High Court judgment stating, “We can fight to the death over this issue.”

This is how the world is viewing Malaysia: a church-burning, intolerant, Muslim country.

The heinous acts carried out by a small extremist minority have given Muslims in Malaysia a bad name, and not only that, Malaysia has turned into one of “those” Muslim countries that gives everyone else in the Islamic world a bad name.

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) was compelled to issue a press statement commending the Malaysian High Court decision and called on to the Malaysian government “to maintain the tradition of tolerance and uphold the religious freedom of Christians and to let the court ruling stand.”
ISNA also urged “Muslim NGOs to respect Islamic teachings and long-held Islamic traditions, and to withdraw their opposition to the use of the word ‘Allah’ by their Christian compatriots.”

Most Malaysians are appalled by the church attacks. It is encouraging to note many Muslim organisations and leaders in Malaysia have publicly repudiated the attacks, calling it the work of an extremist set.

There are varying theories as to who might be behind these attacks and speculations continue as Malaysians shake their heads in disbelief that such things can happen in our peace-loving country. Yet, what is clear is that these acts did not occur in a vacuum.

While the government has publicly renounced the attacks and affirmed religious freedom in the country, the fact of the matter is that an environment of racial and religious intolerance has been seething in the backdrop — with government actions, at times, throwing fuel into the fire. Lina Joy, Moorthy, Kartika, and the cow’s head incident, are a few of the examples of rising religious intolerance in this country.

While Muslims in Malaysia are angry at the acts of violence carried out this past week, many continue to shout protest against the use of the word “Allah”, murmuring conspiracy of stealth proselytising by Christians insisting on the right to use the word “Allah.”

Many continue to reject the fact that Malay Muslims do not have copyright on “Allah”— an Arabic word that means “God”— and that this word has long been used by Christians in Arab speaking and Arabic language influenced countries. The first complete Bible in Malay printed in 1733 used the word “Allah” as did subsequent versions over the centuries.

Earlier this week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom called for church leaders to withdraw from using “Allah” urging them “to be wary and responsible towards peace and security in Malaysia.” This call is not only shocking but irresponsible; acquiescing to the demands of the Muslim extremist signals positive affirmation to acts of violence.

Next time an opinion differs over inter-faith matters, another firebomb will be dropped. It is a slippery slope from here. Thank Allah that no one was hurt (physically); we may not be so lucky next time.

Malaysians need to stand up and stop this spiral of intolerance and hatred. We need to do more than renounce the attacks and shake our heads at the news, we need to reject the politicisation of faith, we need to say no to politicians using religion as a divide and rule strategy, and we need to be open to interfaith relations instead of being suspicious of others. Only then can we return to a country known as a model of plurality and tolerance, rather than a church-burning country.

* The author is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

* This article is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.