Dennis Ignatius
~ Provoking discussion, dissent & debate on politics, diplomacy, human rights & civil society.
Anwar’s progressive Islam or Hadi’s conservative Islam?
13FridaySep 2024
[1] Professor Tajuddin Rasdi posits the view that Malaysians – and especially non-Malays – have a stark choice before them: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s “progressive” Islam or Hadi Awang’s “conservative” Islam.[1]
[2] According to him, Anwar’s Islam is “a perfect blend of western progressive thinking and eastern spiritual values rooted in tradition… progressive in all knowledge constructs, innovative in all artistic and scientific constructs and just to people of all faiths as its main creed of service.” Conservative Islam on the other hand is “backward, intolerant, narrow-minded and regressive.”
[3] It’s the kind of ‘heads-I-win, tails-you-lose’ offer that is disingenuous at best because neither of these choices appeal to non-Muslims.
[4] For non-Muslims, the clear choice has always been for the secular democratic state that found expression in our Federal Constitution and which was later reaffirmed in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement – a hybrid polity with Islam as the “religion of the Federation” within the framework of a secular multicultural society. As Tunku Abdul Rahman said in parliament in 1958: “I would like to make it clear that this country is not an Islamic state as it is generally understood; we merely provided that Islam shall be the official religion of the State.”[2]
[5] Time and again, non-Muslims have voted overwhelmingly for political leaders who have upheld our multicultural framework while rejecting those who would fundamentally alter it. In fact, non-Muslims voted overwhelming for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition in the last election because they were persuaded that he was committed to this basic understanding about the character of our nation. Many now feel disappointed and betrayed.
[6] Professor Tajuddin – who makes no secret of his admiration for the current prime minister – would also have us believe that Anwar’s brand of Islam is far better for non-Muslims than Hadi’s version. Increasingly, however, there’s less and less to differentiate between the two men in terms of their Islamist agenda.
[7] Since coming to office, Anwar appears to have thrown off his ‘reformasi’ cloak and is now pursuing an Islamist agenda that is further destroying the secular foundations of our nation. He has, for example, given more money and more power to Jakim than any other prime minister before him. At Anwar’s insistence, Jakim now plays a central role in national policy-making with its own religious commissars embedded in all government ministries and agencies. It will allow Jakim to wield great power in imposing its vision of Islamic orthodoxy on all aspects of national life. Make no mistake: everyone – Muslim and non-Muslim alike – is going to be impacted by this.
[8] Now there’s a proposal for mandatory halal certification of non-Muslim eateries that don’t serve pork or alcohol. Of course, non-Muslims are deeply worried about what this means. We all know what Jakim is capable of. Will compulsory halal certification for eateries lead to the removal of all non-Muslim religious symbols and altars, dress codes for patrons and even prohibitions on the display of non-Muslim festive greetings? [3]
[9] Again and again, Jakim has shown itself to be intolerant and disrespectful of our diversity. It wants to bring just about everything in Malaysia into conformity with its ideas of what an Islamic state should look like irrespective of the constitutional rights of non-Muslims. More power will only lead to more repressive rules and regulations. If this is an example of Anwar’s ‘progressive’ Islam then I am quite sure that most non-Muslims will want nothing to do with it.
[10] Ultimately, the difference between Anwar’s Islam and Hadi’s Islam is a false one because both lead to the same end – an Islamic state with little room or respect for minorities. Just look around and see what’s already happening.
[11] Instead of allowing themselves to be stampeded into choosing between two equally unpalatable options, non-Muslims should categorically reject any politician or political party that does not defend the constitutional rights of all Malaysians irrespective of race, religion or region. Whatever it is, we must never be party to choices that would only lead to the further erosion of our secular multiethnic society no matter how bleak things may look at the moment.
[Dennis Ignatius | Kuala Lumpur | 13 September 2024]
[1] For all Malaysians, a stark choice between two Islams | FMT | 09 Sept 2024
[2] Judicial review: Secularism, the bedrock of the Federal Constitution! (Part 2) |Focus Malaysia |06 Mar 2022
[3] Jakim clarifies claim by bakery on ‘Merry Christmas’ greeting on cakes | NST | 17 Dec 2023
Anwar's "Progressive Islam" has been exposed as Bullshit in actual practice.
ReplyDeleteHe's more reactionary than PAS