Fifty shades of green

Fifty shades of green

Mariam Mokhtar


COMMENT | In the book, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, we are catapulted into a world of forbidden pleasure and pain, but in Fifty Shades of Green, Malaysian Muslims must learn to accept that true pleasure only awaits them in the afterlife.

In Malaysia, being taught about right and wrong are insufficient. A new dimension has been added, and items and activities must conform to being Syariah compliant.

Very soon, six state elections will be held and these will be seen as a test of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership and the effectiveness of his administration. But is it really? Isn’t it also a measure of our own morality?

Anwar campaigned on the theme of “no more corruption in politics”. Hours after being sworn in as prime minister, he said, “We will never compromise on good governance, the anti-corruption drive, judicial independence, and the welfare of ordinary Malaysians”.

Without winning the outright majority in the 15th general election, he was forced to cobble together a government of sorts. His coalition government comprises allegedly corrupt individuals from his former party and adversary, Umno-Baru.


Silencing criticism

The usual line used to silence those who question Anwar’s administration is, “Would you rather the Green Wave?” With that sort of retort, many of us learn to keep our mouths shut for fear of being ostracised, or of not being seen as team players.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim


Many Malaysians are only too aware that the alternative, Perikatan Nasional (PN), of which PAS is a component coalition member, is too awful to contemplate.

PN is tainted with a number of its senior politicians facing multiple corruption charges, such as coalition chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin and former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

DAP’s Tony Pua, who mentioned the elephant in the room (corrupt coalition partners), was criticised unfairly for what most Malaysians know, but fear speaking out loud.

Any Malaysian who dares to criticise the make-up of the coalition government, with its corrupt members, will face a barrage of insults from other Malaysians.

“Do you want to be ruled by PAS? Anwar is the voice of moderation. He is the one.”

“If you don’t vote Harapan, PN will be in Putrajaya.”

“Don’t be stupid. Remember the Green Wave.”

Most people are subconsciously acknowledging that the most important result of the state elections is the life-changing outcome of which type of Islam will govern us.

The Green Wave is used to hijack free speech. We are held to ransom by the Green Wave when meaningful discussion is stifled

Which Islam is being promoted? Is our only choice between PAS’ hardline Islam and Anwar’s more moderate Madani Islam?

What does the Green Wave have to offer Malays? Are there really fifty shades of green?

Non-Malays must feel that they hardly have any rights left. How will the Green Wave contribute to their wellbeing? Or nation-building?

Under PAS’ more rigid Islam, how will the non-Malay/Muslims fare? They already feel alienated in the land of their birth. Will they feel at all welcome under PN rule?

What about Malaysian women? Or Malay/Muslim women? Do they have a choice? In 2019, Maryam Lee was accused of trying to persuade other women to remove their tudung when all she did was to organise a discussion with two other women.

Does each administration have its own version of Islam? There was Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Islam Hadhari (civilisational Islam), which Abdullah claimed would empower the Malays by raising their competitiveness in a globalised world, thus making Malaysia a model Muslim nation-state.

Islam Hadhari was short-lived.


Strong government needed

The nation faces enormous challenges in the years to come. The economic demands we face are tremendous. Whichever government is in power needs to stabilise the economy and stimulate growth in the private sector.

It has to deal with its burgeoning debt, cut subsidies and rein in borrowings if it does not want to risk bankruptcy. Most importantly, it must address the cost of living crisis.

Our problems are not just economic. We are faced with a rising tide of extremism from Malay groups, porous borders, a rise in Islamic fundamentalism, a rise in racist incidents, problems in our schools and hospitals, the destruction of the police and judiciary, babies being abandoned, high levels of corruption, and a weakening of civic society.

These problems demand a robust solution and a strong government to tackle them. The burning question is “which party is best suited to lead us out of this quagmire?”

Harapan has warned of an economic crisis due to crony capitalism and corruption; a social crisis due to narrow racial policies; and a political crisis due to democratic fatigue arising from BN’s past abuses of power.

Corrupt practices only bring benefits to cronies and hefty losses to the people. Malaysia’s failure to attract foreign investment shows a desperate need for change in the management of the country’s economy. Both good governance and a need to improve its competitive edge are vital.

Any government would do well not to stifle criticism. Anwar may be going after politicians who are corrupt but the punishment must be severe to serve as a deterrent.

In previous administrations, corruption went unchecked and both the judiciary and police were mere stooges of the state.

In order to make the necessary changes to this country, Anwar and his administration must have a clear mandate to govern. The best choice for Malaysia is in your hands. Vote wisely!

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and the president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.