Malaysia Going Down The Road of Pakistan?
Malaysia Going Down the Road of Pakistan?
By Farish A. Noor
The recent announcement made by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Tun Razak, to the effect that ‘we (Malaysia) are an Islamic state’ is mind-boggling to say the least. Speaking during a conference in Kuala Lumpur on the theme of ‘The Role of Islamic States in a Globalised World’, the Deputy Prime Minister claimed that Malaysia has ‘never been affiliated’ to a secular position that that Malaysia’s development ‘has been driven by our adherence to the fundamentals of Islam’. (Bernama, 17 July 2007)
One cannot help but wonder if this was a case of a cynical historical revisionism at work, for there is ample historical data to show that the opposite was the case, and that the forefathers of the Malaysian nation – from Tunku Abdul Rahman to his own father Tun Razak and Hussein Onn – were keen to ensure that Malaysia remained a constitutional democracy where the state would play the role of honest broker and govern a Malaysian public that was multi-racial and multi-confessional.
Furthermore the claim that Malaysia is an Islamic state is far-fetched to say the least according to the criteria of traditional Islamic legal orthodoxy and normative Muslim standards of ethics. Would an Islamic state condone the use of laws like the ISA that allow for detention without trial, or laws like the OSA and the Sedition Act? And does Islam explicitly talk about the need to create faith rehabilitation centers where Muslims and non-Muslims are interned to ‘convert’ them to the right (re. State-defined) practices of Islam?
Furthermore the comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister would suggest a totalizing discourse that fails to take into account the pluralism that is at the heart of the Malaysian nation and nation-building project. When he states that ‘we have always been driven by our adherence to the fundamental principles of Islam’, is he referring to the entire Malaysian population that includes not only Muslims but also Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and peoples of other faiths? Or by the term ‘we’ is he referring to the oligarchy of Malay-Muslim elites who man the helm of UMNO and the ruling National Front alliance that governs the country?
It is therefore not surprising to think that this was yet another case of a Malay-Muslim politician playing to the Malay-Muslim gallery the way that so many other Malay politicians have done in the past. After all, the declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state was made earlier by former Prime Minister Mahathir; and it was also Mahathir and his former Deputy Anwar Ibrahim who spearheaded the Islamization program in Malaysia in the 1980s, taking the country further from its secular constitutional roots and towards a more communitarian register on the basis of Malay-Muslim identity politics.
At this crucial stage in Malaysian history where the Constitution has all but been forgotten, it would be wise to reflect on the mistakes made by other Muslim leaders elsewhere who have brought their countries to the brink of ruin by playing the ‘Islam card’. One country that comes to mind is Pakistan, which today is black-listed as a den of terrorism and has been cast as a pariah state internationally. Yet Pakistan’s slippery slide towards violent sectarian religious politics was not started by conservative Mullahs or even the military dictator General Zia ul Haq, but the secular leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
As soon as he came to power in 1971 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto launched his own ‘people’s revolution’ in Pakistan. While preaching his ideology of ‘Islamic Socialism’ (which Muammar Ghadaffi of Libya also claimed as his idea) Bhutto announced the immediate nationalization of ten major industries, including iron and steel, basic metals, heavy engineering, petrochemicals and motor vehicles. Bhutto also introduced new legislation that was meant to improve the working conditions of the country’s illiterate and backward workers and peasants. These reforms were inspired in part by the example set by Colonel Muammar Ghadaffi of Libya, and Bhutto’s close contacts with China. During his trips to China, Bhutto had been advised by Mao Tze-Tung and Chao En-Lai to set up a ‘people’s army’ that would support his nationalization project. The sudden and unexpected nationalization caused the country’s already weakened economy to collapse completely, sending the stock market downwards and causing the flight of capital from the country.
Fearful of losing the support of the population, Bhutto then began to play the Islamic card as well. He assured the Islamist leaders that his own brand of ‘Islamic Socialism’ had nothing to do with Communism per se and that it was not an atheistic ideology. In 1972 he made a deal with the Jami’at-ul Ulema-i Islam (JUI) under Maulana Mufti Mahmood. Bhutto promised to allow Maulana Mahmood and the JUI to expand their activities in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) as long as they would support his own PPP party in the National and Regional Assemblies. He also promised Islamist parties like the JUI and Maulana Maudoodi’s Jama’at-e Islami (JI) that he would introduce new laws and constitutional amendments that would make Pakistan an Islamic state.
Zulfikar attempted to streamline the process of Islamization in Pakistan via political and constitutional means. Like Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan before him, he tried to use the state as a means to control and patronize the religious powers in the country. In 1972 Bhutto managed to get Pakistan to host the second OIC summit in Lahore, in an attempt to bolster his own Islamic credentials. By virtue of the 1973 Constitution, the State was officially the guarantor of marriage and the family, the protector of the mother and the child and the guardian of equality before the law by formally prohibiting all forms of sexual discrimination. Yet, the third Constitution of Pakistan had received the tacit assent of one of the most vociferous opponents of Ayub Khan: Maudoodi himself. Maudoodi’s support in the early 70’s was understandable for the reasons that the Constitution had for the first time declared Islam as the religion of the State; had imposed the preservation of religious ethos (by prohibiting prostitution, drugs and obscenity) and had laid down the official definition of a proper Muslim (which would serve as the basis for the excommunication of the Ahmadis in 1974). Furthermore, Bhutto had systematically purged his ex-allies from the radical Left with the expressed support of none other than Maudoodi. In return for these efforts of ‘purification’ (particularly on the campuses of the country), Maudoodi gave his tacit endorsement to the 1973 Constitution.
But despite all these moves and concessions made in favor of the religious lobbies (including prohibition of alcohol, gambling etc.), the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, appeared to be theocratic in theory but secular in practice. This was the conclusion that the Islamist camp eventually came to by the mid 70’s. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s PPP government was caught in a trap of its own making. The feudal Bhutto attempted to present himself as a democrat and a populist, and he introduced many radical policy changes that were destined to have a long-lasting impact on the country itself. He pushed Pakistan into the nuclear race even when it was clear that the country could not sustain such a project either economically or politically. His desire to entrench himself on the terrain of Pakistani politics led to a sustained assault on the country’s civil service and judiciary, and culminated in the formation of his own private para-military force (the Federal Security Force FSF).
Bhutto’s crypto-socialist policies also led to the demoralization of the ruling elite, many of whom took the opportunity to emigrate to the West. In one vital area this was to have a potentially dangerous effect: The higher ranks of the armed forces were no longer the exclusive purview of the ruling elite but was finally left open to the newly emerging urbanized middle classes, who were much more conservative and religiously inclined. In 1976 he picked the comparatively junior General Zia ul Haq as Commander in Chief, in an attempt to pre-empt any coup attempts by more senior generals. This would later prove his undoing.
Today, after decades of Islamization at the hands of Pakistan’s Mullahs that went unchecked by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and later Zia ul Haq, Pakistan has become an outcast state where religious politics has proven to be divisive and detrimental to the plight of women, non-Muslim minorities and minority sects among Muslims. All of these could have been avoided by sticking to the secular principles of the Pakistani constitution, but that same constitution has been torn to shreds by successive politicians – including Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif – who found it expedient to play the ‘Islamic card’ whenever it suited them, just to garner some cheap votes at the elections. The rest, as they say, is history and that history now weighs heavily of Pakistan and its people.
Is Malaysia heading down the path of Pakistan? Well, at the moment Malaysia has several ‘Islamic’ features that even Pakistan does not have, such as the morality police squads, Islamic detention centers and the like. Thus far from being a model moderate Muslim state that naïve outsiders like Kofi Annan seem to admire so, we seem well on the path of an increasingly divisive, sectarian religiously-based politics that has spun out of control.
End.
Dr. Farish A. Noor is a Malaysian historian and political scientist based at the Zentrum Moderner Orient Berlin, and visiting professor at Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University, Indonesia. He is also one of the founders of the www.othermalaysia.org research site.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Was Omar al-Khattab the laughable
a good Caliph? or
Mu’awiyah
was he even one?
Just muslims’ hot huff and air puff
or farish’s indon cock and bavarian bull bluff
and the pervez rod is just being tough
that is the right stuff - real hard and rough!
Was Omar al-Khattab the laughable
a good Caliph? or
Mu’awiyah
was he even one?
Is osama ben laden right but brash
or salman more of rushdie rash
let us not fart an pee at the parish door
or we will head forehead first for the floor
a satellite in orbit, and out of control, general!
July 20th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
I have said it before and I will say it again, at the rate that we are going we are heading towards the same direction that Pakistan is going..down the drain.
The politicians are playing the religion card far too often. The problem with politicians is that they are an eternal optimist. They wrongfully believe that they can mould, manipulate and control the religious fervour of the population for their own sick end.
Several years ago, I accompanied a client and visited the detention centre at Ulu Yam, Selangor. I was astounded when I saw that such detention centre exist ! And to my horror I was told that the authorities can suspend any visitation rights on the basis that the detainee is undergoing rehabilitation.
There is an uneasy truce between the religious authorities and the politicians. The religious authorities for now bow to the wishes of the politicians. At some time in the future if their powers are not checked, God forbid future generations have to deal with what have you in Pakistan.
Before Pakistan had their Lal Mosque incident, we had our Memali. It is my hope that in their race to power, the politicians don’t bargain more than what they can handle.
July 21st, 2007 at 12:25 am
Going down the road of Pakistan for Malaysia, had already begun in the eighties by former prime minister Dr Mahathir when he declared Malaysia was an Islamic country in Parliament, to get even with PAS and keep the rural malay votes.
Unbelieveable but true, not a single voice of objection (other than that from DAP’s Lim Kit Siang and Kapal Singh), not even a whimper came from the eunuchs of BN component parties - Samy Velu(MIC), Ling Liong Sik(MCA), Lim Keng Yaik(Gerakan), all remain silent like tikus in salutation to their umno master and they are supposed to represent the interests of non-muslims!
Najib has once again tried aping Dr M. He is definitely bankrupt of ideas, mentally and politically drained from rumours alledging his possible links to the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
So before PM Abdullah get to perform a ‘harakiri’ on him, he thought he needed to jump-start his political career.
Najib is dangerous and a hypocrite. He has pledged to bath his kris in chinese blood, just sold off his father’s name for a dime and is prepared to shred the social contract for a few thousand votes?
History is blunt and incredibly true. We must all speak up and derail those fanatics the best we can; keep our elegant silence and we become irrelevant.
July 21st, 2007 at 7:24 am
Yo! Bakri&Din!
this one had to come:
Bush cedes powers to VP for colonoscopy
By DEB RIECHMANN,
Associated Press
Writer 36 minutes ago
CAMP DAVID, Md. - President Bush transferred the powers of the presidency to Vice President Dick Cheney on Saturday just before being sedated for a screening to detect colon cancer.
With two signed letters to leaders in the House and Senate, Bush temporarily transferred his authority at 7:16 a.m. EDT to Cheney, who was at his home on the Chesapeake Bay in St. Michaels, Md., about 30 miles east of Washington.
“The vice president is now serving as acting president,” White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070721/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_colonoscopy
hey, bakri, are you the one doing the colonoscopy, too?
guess who done did it once? the do-er or the done-ered!
Jong,
Najib is a what????
do you have enuff proof…
or you are just a sizzling bak kuehtiow?
don’t tell me it is halal, dude
derail those fanatics?????
Man, you just hit the jackpot!
err, which fanatics?
Cheers!
July 21st, 2007 at 4:25 pm
In some cases we may already have overtaken Pakistan in going down some roads.
At least in Pakistan, its Supreme Court judges voted unanimously to restore a suspended Chief Justice to his position and to quash charges of misconduct that Pres. Musharraf had concocted deeming them illegal. I often wonder if any Malaysian court would be allowed to act as independently and show such respect for the rule of law.
July 21st, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Dear All,
I have nothing to add except to say that we are in a mess as everything is around politics and that is very short term.
Even academics like Shad Faruki and Chandra Muzaffar who are supposed to be clear headed and forthright are hedging themselves, waffling and sucking up to”orang atasan yang berkuasa”. For what?
I disagreed with Tun Dr. Mahathir when he said that Malaysia is an Islamic State, and that he is a Islamic fundamentalist. He was playing politics then. For me, it is clear that Malaysia is not an Islamic state.Let us not be labour the issue.
We are strong given our plurality and diversity of our culture and united enough, judging from the negative public reaction to Najib’s recent statement, to ensure that our country will not become like an Islamic state(Republic) like Pakistan and Sudan.
Sensible voters will not have it, and the next election is the occasion to signal to the present BN Government that we reject this idea outright if it is in the Badawi Manifesto No. 2.So Badawi, Najib and UMNO should recognise that they are opening the Pandoras box and playing with the security, peace, and stability of this country.
It is fine to inculcate “universal” Islamic values in public administration, but the public service must deliver. Is it Islamic to be corrupt? Surely, not.
But what is the reality? It is that corruption is rampant and getting worse.
So, Mr. Prime Minister, wherever you may be right now, come back and fix this haram conduct.There will be no foreign investment and kiss the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) and the Corridors goodbye. Stop playing with the emotions of the Malays.
I am quite sick but not yet to require the services of a shrink. I am now enjoying Mika’s poetry and riddles to stay on the side of sanity.
July 21st, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Ladies and gentlemen,
Try this, watch Najib’s body-language:
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/07/more-pics-video-30-s-najib-stating.html
July 21st, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Mika
Isn’t it good for Bush to hand over authority to Cheney before he goes under the knife or in this case the anasthetic? Different people react differently when under anasthetia, some become lurid and delirious, other get a high and can’t think properly, so in Bush case he may not have full control of his faculty and may issue an unwarranted executive order such as going to war. Unlike Malaysia where the PM undergoes a bypass but power not handed over to the DPM. I rest my case.
Pakistan is a rugged country with various mountain tribes all practising their own brand of tribal law some under the guise of Islam. Remember the case of cutting off the nose of the women and also the order by tribal leaders for a bunch of men to rape the women ? Very barbaric. May God save Malaysia from the same fate as Pakistan. All the more reason that Islam is practised in its true form. Stop politicians from hijacking Islam for their own political agenda.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Hey, that was one heavy blogspot.
Thanks for the link, Jong.
July 22nd, 2007 at 6:56 am
In the Financial Times report (21 July 2007) of the reinstatement of of the Chief Juctice it had this comment:
“Images of bloodied lawyers being beaten by police shocked public opinion, prompting a media clampdown that undermined Mr. Mushaaraf’s portrayal of himself as moderate leader committed to democratic reform and transparent governmentâ€.
This comment could very well apply to Mr. Abdullah Badawi. He poses as a liberal person, clean leader, a moderate Islamic and a democrat.
The facts tell a different story. As minister of the interior Badawi’s police is well known for their brutality. The number of deaths in police custody has never been properly explained. His “clean†leadership has been evidenced by the increasing corruption, including by and for members of his family. His “good and transparent government†has been undermined by the increasing number of government contracts (goodies) awarded without open tenders, especially to cronies and members of his family. His liberal and religious credentials are eroded by the clampdown of the media on debate on the Islamic state; the NEP; apostasy and the forcible abduction of babies from their mothers in the name of religion; by the forcible abduction of corpses in the name of religion. In almost every walk of life Badawi has created a false image of himself as a “good man†very different from the truth as shown by his behaviour actions and inactions. HE IS A FALSE MAN. In truth, if the misdeeds, actions and inactions of Badawi are closely examined, every instance will show his fundamentalist and extreme beliefs. He is covered with sins of commission and omissions. He is also a coward who will not take any hard decisions even for the good of the country but hide behind generalities.
In the light of all this how is it that the Malaysian people are still fooled by Badawi and, worse, continue to be happy to be fooled.
Why is it that the Malaysian people have less spine or are like jelly fish when to the Pakistanis to confront Badawi. Why do the people continue to accept a false leader? Why is it the people fail to call Badawi to account and, if found wanting, to boot Badawi out.
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:42 am
Why is it that the Malaysian people have less spine or are like jelly fish when to the Pakistanis to confront Badawi. - delphi
I don’t know why but I am laughing my head off!
I love that Musharaff, Pervez
what a good general character and great to have in the cricket team
You know,
Confronting a bedoui when he is doing his things isn’t at the top
of in my list of death wishes
man he will pee on my legs, for one
the boot, another
not counting the barks
and i won’t wait around for the bites
of the tear gas nor the bullets
So when is Shiloh coming, delph?
Now, that was a diamond song
July 22nd, 2007 at 9:08 pm
“So, Mr. Prime Minister, wherever you may be right now, come back and fix this haram conduct.” - DinM
I’m also wondering what’s brewing with the Badawi-clan in ozzie land. The country is once again on auto-pilot. He could have ’sub-contracted’ his ministries to the Boys on the 4th floor!
Back home the “Islamic state” label by his deputy Najib Razak is getting very heated up and errily worrisome with Internal Security Ministry’s Publications Control and Al-Quran Texts Unit senior officer Che Din Yusof calling the shots and slapping a “ban” on all further discussion in the media. Che Din said allowing such discussions would cause “tension†but he forgot in the first place who created the “tension”?
July 23rd, 2007 at 1:54 am
Dear Jong,
Please learn to recognise and accept what we cannot change– that is, the past– and have the courage to do what we can now to make the future better for all Malaysians.
We know that corruption is a serious social disease. In China, individuals who are convicted of corruption are put to death by firing squad. I am not advocating this for our country. But at least we should ensure that corrupt individuals are brought to trial on solid grounds and, if found guilty, they should be punished in accordance with the severity of the charges against them. But first the ACA must make sure that their charges can stick.
Johari Baharom, the Deputy Minister of Internal Security, was cleared by the Anti-Corruption Agency. We are now left with the lingering question: If he did not receive the rm5 million, where did that money go? Surely, it did not disappear into thin air.
Dato Zakaria Ideros, the infamous politician from Selangor, is being charged with 13 counts of corruption. Let us hope that the ACA has a strong case against him. Notice that this is coming ahead of the next elections in the same way that Kasitah Gaddam was charged before the 2004 Elections. The Perwaja case which also hit the headlines at the same time was recently thrown out by our Courts for the lack of evidence.
The best way can bring about change is to stand up and be counted. We can no longer accept decisions and actions which are forced on us. We must move towards a more open and accountable society.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:38 am
Yo Bakri&Karen
Do you have a list of the ministers that you would like to see in the new YAB Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?
Another of those MPs and ADUNs, that are “corrr-rup-pted!!”
And the case against them.