Author claims Muslim split threat to Islamic political dominance
By G. Manimaran, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 — A prominent author said today that non-Muslims had become a threat to the political dominance of Muslims and the status of Islam in Malaysia.
Datin Seri Fatini Yaacob said the challenges of the 13th general election will be greater because non-Muslims were engaging in political chess to further weaken the Muslim community.
“(This) poses a danger to the power which we still have,” said the former journalist who is now the writer in residence of the Sultanah Zanariah library at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
The former Dewan Masyarakat editor, who has written on the Maria Hertogh riots, (picture above and below) which occurred 60 years ago in Singapore, was speaking when presenting a paper on the incident during a seminar organised by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM).
The incident, which is also called the Nadrah riots, started on Dec 11, 1950 in Singapore when Muslims protested against the decision of the courts to return 13-year-old Maria Hertogh to her Dutch parents.
Maria or Bertha, who was separated from her biological parents during World War II, was raised as a Muslim by Aminah Mohamed, who she regarded as her mother.
The riots killed 18 and injured 173 when it ended on Dec 13.
Fatini, who authored “Natrah: Cinta, Rusuhan, Air Mata”, said a bigger problem in the next general election was that Muslims were divided.
“Malays are split politically between three big parties — Umno, PKR and PAS.”
She urged all Muslim parties to merge to ensure the survival of Islam and Muslim political power.
She also claimed Muslims were seen to be weaker after the 12th general election which was followed by what she said were repeated provocations on Islamic issues.
“The 12th general election has threatened our position,” she said.
She maintains that without a long-term political strategy for the survival of Islam, political power will shift and the status of Islam will diminish.
Her views mirror those of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who, two weeks ago in Kuala Terengganu, said Malay political power had been eroded since March 2008 and they risked being sidelined like the community in Singapore.
