From time to time, we, not only the Malays but many Malaysians, have been confronted with offending words and disturbing images that stir racial distrusts and disturb the religious beliefs of others. Dissent, disagreement, and debates are part and parcel of everyday life, but we must remember not to cross the line where what we do, offends the religious sentiments or racial sensibilities of others.
On Sunday, Lawrence and me, and one of the Singapore Malays we recently had dinner with, were at the Airport to send off the other Singapore Malay home. Among other things, he was in Melbourne to look at a Sheep Farm to buy - and it was time to go home. Despite the long queue, check-in was done in under 30 mins and there was time for lunch. Lawrence suggested Nööödles - they had Laksa... and that sealed the bargain. When we arrived there, I overheard one of the Singapore Malay tell the other, "Ustad...Halal"...and having assured themselves of that, we sat down for lunch.
Even in Melbourne, Muslims will look for the Halal accreditation before a meal, and it does us all good to be aware of this for that shows respect for the beliefs of others. I will not order beef when having a meal with Hindus....but with the Chinese, almost anything goes. But I am mindful not to give a clock as a present to a Chinese. I know that in Chinese, saying 'giving a clock' (送钟 sòng zhōng /song jong/) sounds exactly like the Chinese words for 'attending a funeral ritual' (送终 sòng zhōng) and thus it is bad luck to gift a clock or a watch and clocks and watches also symbolize the running out of time.
We are all the same because we are all different from each other in many things. Religion unites many of us, as it also divides....and therein lies the possibility of conflict, distrust, and disrespect for others. Too many Malaysians, when they are interacting with Muslims, are more likely to be able to tread on eggshells without breaking them. Maybe even to the extent that the non-Muslims are fearful of offending Muslims with the things that they do. A skirt too short, complaining about the traffic gridlock during Friday prayers, the Azan being too nosily and intrusive...even walking into a Malay restaurant lest their 'unclean' hands will soil the plates and cutlery. They know that their drinking beer and celebrating their own religious festivals offends some Muslims......the list goes on.
And now, there are also problems of the same kind, among Muslims. PAS Muslims against Umno Muslims. Muslims who do not pray against Muslims who insist that all Muslims must pray. There are Muslims living in Kelantan, Terengganu, and elsewhere whose way of life differs in many ways from Muslims who live in urban areas. The divide among Muslims is not only driven by politics, but it is also driven by deep religious convictions that do not tolerate Muslims who do not follow the teachings of Koran...as they see and interpret it. This intolerance and lack of respect for others who do Islam differently for the way they do Islam, is today evident by the manner that the Green Wave of PN and PAS has been able to sweep across the Malays and create two groups of Malays/Muslims - each in different political camps that threatens political and physical conquest upon the other.
Many Malays/Muslims consider themselves different from the followers of PAS.
We think of ourselves differently in thoughts and deeds from them. We think ourselves to be part of the others in Malaysia - they don't. They think of themselves as the warriors of Islam doing Jihad, through PAS, and anyone not with PAS deserves not to have any of the 72 virgins that anyone going to syurga is promised. We see their attire as comical, if not outright funny. They are, in all seriousness, readying themselves for the battle to come when they will vanquish all those who are not with them - other Muslims and Malays included. They are going to heaven - everyone else will go to hell.
The difference between us and them is not only physical but more worrying, every day their DNA becomes more convoluted and more toxic and if allowed to continue, will damm our society and our nation towards extremism - religious and racial.
Yes, the Hempit brigades might seem funny to us. The oft-repeated refrain of PAS that heaven belongs only to their supporters and not to others, may even bring a smile to some of you. ....but the ability of the PAS and BERSATU coalition to win 74 seats, is not to be sneezed at. You need to take heed of what it all means - that the green wave has arrived.
Do not be too believing that in the end - at the state elections or the next PRU, PH and Umno, will be able to win back the voters they lost to PAS and BERSATU. For decades, nobody has been able to make any decent political inroads into Kelantan, for once these religious politicians get their claws into any State - they tend to grow and consolidate their hold over the Muslim population.
Religion is a strong pull to anyone without much to look forward to, but the afterlife. The promises of what heaven holds for those who are righteous and committed to the 'religious' PAS cannot be countered by a PH where there are infidels, liquor, greed, and all the other sins that Islam forbids - as interpreted by PAS.
Only the education of our young may be able to stem the time - and that will take another generation or more to happen. For now, the Muslim young seems to be committed to the Green Wave. For now, many Muslims are looking towards PAS for their religious and political salvation, and you cannot fight that with a government that seems to put religion on the back burner.
No, I am not advocating that PH did what Umno did some time back, to counter PAS. Umno became more Islamic than PAS. Jakim was established. Today, Jakim has an annual budget of over a billion ringgit - to do what? What Jakim does is merely to alienate more Malays to lean towards the Islam that PAS is advocating.
PH should not even think of being more Islamic than PAS. PH must go down the path of racial harmony and religious tolerance - which are really long-term goals that can only be realized in the long term. The question we need to ask ourselves is simply this...is the racial and religious tolerance that Malaysian now have towards each other's beliefs, strong enough to counter the advance of the Green wave?
We have to believe that our society today, our people, and our PH government understand the clear and present danger presented by the Green Wave as the state elections nears. For starters, we are stronger and there are more of us than them. They won 74 seats. PH won 81 - and there is also BN, GRS, and GPS all onside with us against PAS and Bersatu. So we have the numbers, and we are in government....and in Malaysia, as we have seen in the past, the political might of the incumbent can be overwhelming.
Let us hope that PMX will use that political power responsibly and effectively to counter the Green Wave. Failure is not an option. Failure will destroy all that we hold dear and have put together since Merdeka and Malaysian days. And of course, any thinking Malaysian can see that our future is one of unity in diversity. One in which all races, all religions and all political beliefs exist in harmony with each other. Democracy. Any thinking, rational, and responsible Malaysian will want the same things...but are there enough of us to go head-to-head against them? I think yes. I think that common sense and decency will win over extremism and religious bigotry. Enough said
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Hussein you said it all. What is there to comment further. Nil zilch !
You guys can talk/prove until the end of times/one world govt is just FARTS process....brave/balls/guts enough to DELETE/Revoke/Scorched the 5letter word RASMI from religion as ALLAH/TUHAN/GOD never have religion....ONLY Nabi/Prophet/Saints/Pope created so-called xxxxx termed Religion 🤣🤣🤣
As many groups are started to be inward looking, we are not aware that few groups in Sarawak & Sabah too slowly will evolve into extremist group. When this happened, Sarawak & Sabah will be easily the next Ukrain of Malaysia. Malaysia will be slowly plunging down into self destruction. The miscreation of British.
To be fair, any hostilities toward political parties in malaysia that defend the malay rights today will benefit the parties itself. They get even bigger support and hence become stronger.
Umno was once seen as the defender of malay rights. Today, the impressions are they are not and are supporting the chinese rights. Therefore, the malays do not vote them. They vote pas.
The needless and foolish attack on Bersatu will further weaken the malay support for dap, pkr and umno. Instead it strengthened pas and bersatu.
To bring back voters to umno, zahid has been working hard. He may have even joined the tablique missionary movement to convince the malays to support umno. He want to announce the tahfiz…
2026 delineation should done following as close as possible to the tenet of one person one vote true democracy. Those uztas spreading hatred and lies and without accreditation from the authorities should be barred from giving any sermons to intoxicate young generation mindsets due to their naiveness and ignorance in terms of religion and politics. Tahfiz schools should be monitored closely as many are not registered with the authorities. No political sermons in any masjid as it a place for religion activities, not politics.