PM's Big Boboo

A piece of paper and procedure to resolve the issue of conversion to Islam

An article in Malaysia Today (by Ali Cordoba) writes “WorldFutures believe that the Prime Minister’s agenda is very clear. It is one in which he want to bring Islam closer to the public realm, giving it a role playing position rather than the private and low profile hence absent state in which Islam was under Tun Mahathir’s rule”

If one looks at nature of the article and especially .the commentaries made, it depicts the many wishful thinking and representation of those who fail to understand and are mischievous to Islam. Islam Hadhari, although its idea and concept is maybe good but is unlikely to succeed as its true intention is suspect; the leadership that promoted its adoption never represented himself as exemplary.

Back to basic, according to its teachings, Islam is the ideal way of life for all mankind for all ages, suitable for all occasion as exemplified by embodiment of the Prophet through the authentic Hadith and the Quran. Islam’s message is very simple but yet made complicated from the beginning of time by transgressors (including certain people who claimed themselves as Muslims but failed to appreciate the message of the religion), opportunists of all kinds and by its enemies.

Islam can be propagated in a variety of ways including as ‘private and low profile’ or ‘a role playing position’ so long its intention and acts are genuine. Thus in a multiracial society with a history of religious sensitivities, perhaps the previous TDM Government had advocated a more subtle way of propagation in ensuring sensitivities are safeguarded. Under the current Government, Islam Hadhari was mooted supposedly as part of a grander political attempt to capture Kelantan and therefore its original objective/ intention was faulty from its very beginning. It seemed Islam Hadhari also became a fear factor for many non-Muslims to reject the Government in the recent polls. In the recent composition of the Trengganu State Exco, the position of the Exco for Islam Hadhari was abolished and in its place, as Head of religious affairs as was previously.

The more recent salient incidences involving religious sentiments in our multi-racial society are set out below:

1. Use of the word Allah by non-Muslims.

Of cause we Muslims are aware that in many Arabic countries, the word Allah is used by Christians to refer to God by virtue of them using the Arabic language in the common culture. But in the Anglo American community like Britain and United States, how many of the Christians do use Allah to refer to God? Even speaking or writing in Arabic in those countries may get one in trouble for being misconstrued as an advocate of Islamic Terrorism; Islamic phobia?

I do recall many years ago (when there was tension about the outcome of the elections then) there was fear by the Malays that Christian Missionaries, well funded from abroad, were amassing a program to convert Muslims into Christianity in huge numbers if the Opposition won in the State elections. One proposed method to be used was the mass distribution and interpreting the Bible with the usage of common local words such as Allah, asalammualaikum, alhamdulillah etc as the medium so that the local people would be more receptive in converting to Christianity. Without the least disrespect intended to the Christian religion, the local Muslim religious authorities felt threatened and therefore took steps to address the potential threat while frowning on the use of the word Allah etc to be officially used by the Christian missionary community.

Post GE 12 with so much political insecurity and uncertainty, history is about to repeat itself, this time by the Government’s populist attempts to garner support to be seen as the partner in advocating religious freedom. Then comes a PAS assemblyman, enthusiastic from recent poll winnings of his political party and in the quest to demonstrate to the partners of his alliance that his religious party is indeed liberal and not narrow minded, innocently explaining and propagating in the open for the word Allah to be used by non-Muslims. What can I say except hoping that the PAS leadership understands such wider implications/ consequences of such pronouncement? We want continued Peace in this beloved country and therefore we must be sensitivities of its people and avoid any potential backlash.

2. Propagation of Islam Hadhari – as explain earlier

3. The day Catholics welcome a man from Pas in Shah Alam – What’s the big deal about it? I and many Muslim friends have gone to churches to attend marriages and the farewell of friends. I have also attended Chinese funerals for that matter! Is this merely a publicity stunt by PAS and PKR or other parties with vested interests? I hope not, with all due respect to PAS as the political party advocating Islam.

4. The Pig Issue (already addressed in my earlier posting). Muslims generally have a phobia about Pigs among other things. The issue at hand is the advocating the mass production of Pigs which it’s ultra modern facility (highly advance and most hygienic) costing RM100 million. The proposal by a new state Government which has yet to prove itself in governance makes no practical sense except in stroking passionately the sensitive feelings of Muslims Again I hope the PAS leadership will look at the wider issues at stake in promoting peace and harmony rather than strictly from their political viewpoint for opportunities.

5. The Issue of Conversion: As elaborated below.

The PM announced that a proposed new policy for those who wanted to convert to Islam that they must inform their family through a form or letter declaring that their family had been told. He said the idea behind the rule was to recognize the rights of the affected families, especially the spouses. The proposed rule was meant to avoid problems, especially when the converts died and their family disputed the status of the decease's religion.

The Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs (ACCIN) on April 14 announced that they were against the proposal. Such a move would deny them the right to convert as forcing the converts to inform their family would still be inappropriate. The convert would face major problems such as isolation and rejection by the family members, threats to commit suicide or inflict self injury.

"It should be left to the individuals to decide whether to inform their family or otherwise because it would be difficult for the family to accept the fact and would cause problems to the convert as well as his family," ACCIN told a press conference.

PAS spiritual leader had earlier voiced his disagreement. Similarly, several practicing and respected Muslim converts as well as missionaries have come out strong in voicing their disagreement. Even within the PM’s party, there were spiteful voices of disagreement.

Thus it appears the PM and the Minister in Charge of Religious affairs have made another political blunder, this time in not taking cognizance of the sensitivities of the race and religion they represent. In wanting to please the minorities, they have angered the majority.

The question I would raise is ‘did the PM and his relevant Minister consulted people on the ground familiar with such issues or simply relied on the advice of people who know nuts about religious matters before making such proposals? Are the PM and his stooges so desperate in securing the respect of the minorities that they forget history and who elected them?

Gosh……good riddance to PM. He is no leader of mine; I no longer have any respect for the man. My hope is he goes off immediately before he and his stooges makes further mess of the peace and tranquility in this beloved country of ours.

End.