GE14: Make or break for Islam in Malaysia

A recent article in the South China Morning Postcommented on a political apathy amongst the Malaysian electorate.

That is what the state of Malaysian politics has come to be, with Trump-like vehement opposition against “fake news” and quinoa being put on a pedestal rather than cheaper grains which many Malaysians cannot afford.  

Nevertheless, the political landscape of a country is not just determined by the ability of the government to raise its people’s standards of living. There is an equally important issue to tackle here; how the government administers relations between groups of different faiths.

The fact remains that Malaysians, come April or May, have to be cognisant of a singular factor that will chart the future of the country. That factor is Islam, or the politicisation of Islam to be precise.

It is such a factor that continues to monopolise political discourse at a level that should be reserved for bread-and-butter issues. Yet, it is also this factor that influences how safe non-Muslims feel in practising their own faiths, not to mention the minority Muslims too.

Islam in different parties

How do the parties across the political spectrum brandish their ideal version of a state of affairs where Malaysians can live harmoniously? We could start with Umno.

Umno has been siding itself with  PAS in order to pander to the Malay-Muslim majority, even accommodating PAS’ desires to implement their own nationalist-religious agenda.

PAS  has emphasised that it will not make any reference to Islam in its manifesto, referring to the controversial pledge to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state.

Instead, PAS wants to focus on bread-and-butter issues. A good idea indeed, seeing how this latter focus will put food on the table and not the former.

However, PAS has sought Umno’s support in the enactment of the hudud (Islamic criminal code) bill.

Objectively, the Umno-PAS alliance is not one that bodes well for inter-faith relations. An Umno-PAS alliance in power would very likely portray an Islam that is intolerant of other faiths, despite Najib’s plans to align Islamic principles with human rights.

The opposition Pakatan Harapan does not have an Islam-centric agenda. Or perhaps they are too divided to have an agenda that delineates how the interests of the non-Muslim minority will be taken care of.

The government has voiced concerns that parties in the opposition will not be able to defend the rights of Muslims or Islam as a federal religion. 

What would this mean for Islam’s place in society? Would it mean Islam becomes less important in Malaysia? Whatever the answers to these questions, Harapan will need to address the concerns of Muslims and non-Muslims with respect to how Islam continues to be politicised.

Islam’s role in Malaysia

Islam as a political force cannot be ignored. Whoever comes into power next will have to be held accountable for how Islam governs the daily lives of ordinary Muslims and non-Muslims.

Islam as a socio-political issue continues to harbour significance today, especially when considering that the influence of a Salafi brand of Islam from Saudi Arabia will not be waning anytime soon.

Domestically, incidents such as the Muslim-only launderette service show how Islam isn’t simply a set of beliefs but a way of life that permeates every mundane activity.

Perhaps the granting of permanent residence to controversial preacher Zakir Naik reflects the kind of Islam Umno wishes to promote, and continue to promote, should it win the coming elections. Sources describe the elections this year as a “now or never” moment.

The elections really could be a watershed or a continuation in the religious affairs of the country. Will we see a Malaysia where covering yourself properly during the fasting month is more important than having access to basic necessities such as water, or will we see a Malaysia where Islam continues to be relevant but not at the expense of one’s security and daily standards of living? -Mkini