Committing political suicide

Raja Petra Kamarudin

“Our national vision includes the challenge of establishing a matured, liberal and accepting society in which Malaysians of all colours and creed are free to practice and profess their customs, cultures and religious beliefs,” said Malik Imtiaz Sarwar of the Malaysian Bar Council. (Malaysiakini)

Malik is heading the steering committee that is attempting to set up Malaysia’s first inter-faith commission, a move that seems to have attracted quite a bit of controversy.

Considering Malaysia is about to celebrate its 48th year of independence, is this effort too little too late? Or is the idea, however noble and sincere it may be, still too early for its time? Some feel this should have been done in 1957 itself, the year Malaya gained independence from Britain. Then there are others who feel Malaysia will never be ready for such a ‘radical’ idea even in 2057 when Malaysia celebrates its 100th anniversary of Merdeka.

But then, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. However, some of the objections extend beyond personal opinions. Some religious scholars are of the view that this idea goes against the very foundation of Islam and they argue that only Islam is accepted by God and all other religions cannot be accepted or tolerated or put on the same level as Islam. Therefore, with the setting up of this inter-faith commission, Islam would be recognising and placing the other religions at par with Islam, which, they say, Islam forbids.

“I am here today with an open mind. We need to first listen to the content of the proposal and not prejudge the discussion,” Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Dr Rais Yatim said during the opening of the conference called to discuss the setting up of this commission.

Rais explained that the initiative will help strengthen national harmony and unity. He, however, realised he was steeping into very dangerous territory and that he risks being labelled a heretic.

“An ultra Muslim may regard my being here as something that is not within the prime or mainstream inner thoughts,” said Rais. “Or, worse, they may interpret my being here as lending credibility to a movement that is going contrary to their own subjective thoughts on what is Islamic and what is not.” (Malaysiakini)

As much as they try to make it appear like this is an ‘inter-faith’ thingy, the reality of the matter is, the Islamic groups are not in support of the idea and those Muslims who did attend the conference did so in their ‘personal capacity’ and not representing their organisations.

Harakah, the official organ of the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS), actually took Rais to task on the text of his speech, citing it as opposed to Islam.

“Ini satu ucapan yang gila. Sebagai seorang Islam tidak sepatutnya beliau mengucapkan sedemikian. Ini menggambarkan beliau tidak yakin kepada Islam,” said Ustaz Ahmad Awang, one-time head of the Persatuan Ulama Malaysia (PUM) or Malaysian (Muslim) Scholars Association, in reference to Rais’ comment that puts all religions at par.

Ahmad Awang, who is now a central committee member of the Dewan Ulama PAS, then suggested that Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (Ikim) counsels Rais as his statement goes against the very foundation of Islam.

“Only Islam is accepted by God,” explained Ahmad Awang.

“In fact,” said Ahmad Awang. “Rais should have explained to the participants of the seminar that Islam is the only religion accepted by God and therefore the best religion.”

“By doing so,” explained Ahmad Awang, “Then there is no longer any reason to interact with the other religions since Islam does not permit the practice of any other religion other than Islam.”

In case I have wrongly translated what was said, this is what Harakah reported, “Kata Ustaz Ahmad, untuk menyatakan Islam itu adalah agama terbaik tidak timbul soal mahu menjaga hubungan dengan penganut lain kerana dalam Islam sendiri agama lain dibenarkan untuk diamalkan.”

Ahmad Awang then suggested that the religious authorities take action against Rais.

And this was echoed by Ustaz Idris Ahmad, the Deputy PAS Youth Leader. “Kenyataan itu bahaya. Saya minta Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan mengambil tindakan serius terhadap Rais,” said Ustaz Idris.

Rais’ statement tantamount to insulting Islam said Ustaz Idris, especially when he made this statement in front of non-Muslims. “This,” said Ustaz Idris, “Will make those of other religions think that Islam is similar to their religions.”

And he too suggested the authorities take action against Rais on his crime of insulting Islam.

I do not want to debate with these ustaz (religious teachers) especially when they are of ulamak (religious scholar) status. After all, with my secular education, who am I to engage in debate those better informed about matters involving Islam? But I would like to address them as PAS leaders, though they may simultaneously be of ulamak or ustaz status.

PAS is a political party. So PAS leaders must think and act like politicians. The fact that PAS is a political party standing on a religious or Islamic platform is incidental or secondary.

What is the purpose of a political party? Or rather, first of all, what is politics all about?

Politics is all about the pursuit of power. And power comes from either a coup d’état or armed revolution, or through the ballot box, the ‘western democracy’ way of general elections.

PAS has chosen the ballot box as the means to gain power, basically since this is the established system in Malaysia, so it has no other choice — unless it would like to do it the Afghanistan way and start an armed revolution.

PAS made some headway in 1990 in Kelantan and saw it fortunes improve two elections later in 1999 when it added Terengganu to the states under its control. Last year, PAS saw its fortunes decline and the question now would be: would it be able to get back Terengganu come the next election or will it end up losing Kelantan instead and be back where it used to be; an insignificant opposition party?

Up to two days ago, PAS still had a chance to change its destiny. No doubt last year was not that good for the opposition, PAS included. But this was in no way the pits yet. But now, after PAS revealed its ‘true colours’, the doors may be closed to it for some time to come, at least for this generation.

PAS has forgotten it is a political party. It is not a dakwah or missionary movement. If certain leaders in PAS would like to serve Islam or God, then they should get out of PAS and do missionary work fulltime. To use a political party to propagate Islam is using the wrong tool for the job. One cannot use a hammer as a screwdriver or a screwdriver to hammer in a nail.

In my article on Monday called ‘What in heaven’s name is politics?’ I mentioned that the Brainy Dictionary defines politics as follows:

The management of a political party; the conduct and contests of parties with reference to political measures or the administration of public affairs; the advancement of candidates to office; in a bad sense, artful or dishonest management to secure the success of political candidates or parties; political trickery.

The Laborlawtalk Encyclopedia in turn defines it as follows:

Politics is the process and method of decision-making for groups of human beings. Although it is generally applied to governments, politics is also observed in all human group interactions including corporate, academic, and religious. Political science is the study of political behaviour and examines the acquisition and application of power, i.e. the ability to impose one’s will on another.

In politics one must win converts. Converts translate to votes. Not only is PAS not winning any converts, but even those already converted are getting unconverted. PAS has just made it very clear it does not tolerate or recognise other religions. Whether this is what it meant is not important. It is what people now perceive, and politics is about perception.

PAS leaders may be good Muslims. This I do not dispute. But they are certainly bad politicians. Can PAS rule with the minority support it now has? Do not even talk about forming a federal government. Can it even form a state government?

If all PAS wants is to continue to rule Kelantan, one state, then well and fine. This PAS may be able to do though it would still be touch and go. Then PAS should make this clear so that voters in other parts of Malaysia do not have to bother about supporting it or give it their votes.

Opposition supporters dream about the day the opposition coalition will kick the ruling party out and form the next federal government with at least a simple majority in Parliament. No way this is going to happen now as the non-Muslim voters (and many Muslim voters as well) will reject PAS just like it is rejecting the non-Muslims, as the latest statements from the PAS leaders seem to show.

PAS has just committed political suicide. And Parti Keadilan Rakyat would equally be committing political suicide by association itself with it.