Weaponising Teresa's discourse on halal cert issue

Weaponising Teresa's discourse on halal cert issue

S Thayaparan
Published: Sep 9, 2024 10:08 AM


“These Malay politicians are desperate to show the voters that they are genuinely the protector of the community, but what they are doing is pathetic. It shows they do not trust Muslims to think and decide for themselves, even on a personal matter of what food to take. Labels have to be everywhere.” 

– Zaid Ibrahim

COMMENT | I have no idea if it is irony or comedy that the Kiniguide on the role and functions of the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) includes a declarative “no” that “Jakim does not interfere with the religious affairs and activities of other faiths in this country.”

Perhaps Seputeh MP Teresa Kok relied on this when she said that Jakim’s proposal for mandatory halal certification for businesses that do not serve pork or alcohol would add an unnecessary burden to businesses, including many Malay-owned ones.

Not to worry. Her comrade in Umno, specifically the ulama council deputy chairperson Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, solved this problem by proclaiming that halal certification for Muslim-owned businesses was unsuitable, but he supports the mandatory certification ”for non-Muslim-owned businesses as it could eliminate doubts among Muslim customers and prevent accidental consumption of non-halal food.”

This Madani problem is solved when it comes to the unnecessary burden for Muslim businesses in this country, but well, for non-Muslim businesses, I suppose they can carry this unnecessary burden.

This perhaps points to the deeper policy-making impetus of successive ruling governments.

Bersatu’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s warning to a sitting MP that her refusal to retract her statement would result in an avalanche of police reports is merely further evidence that any form of dissent or objection or differing political perspective when it comes to the religion of the state has been weaponised.

Wan Fayhsal claimed that what Kok said had touched on the 3R (race, religion and royalty).

Another recent example of this weaponisation comes from Malaysian Muslim Lawyers' Association president Muhamad Hisham Marzuki who claimed that any objections to the report that Jakim officers would be placed in government offices was seditious and reeked of Islamophobia.

"Moves by certain quarters to continue playing to the propaganda that anything Islam or syariah has no place in the public sphere in our country, save for minor ceremonial purposes, reek of Islamophobia, rooted in hatred towards Muslims and religious bodies in Malaysia,” he said.

So what does this make MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee Fung who said: "If Jakim is involved in the policy-making process of various departments, it means that future governance will be guided by the core values and principles of a particular religion, which will undoubtedly compromise the principles of neutrality, objectivity, and fairness that the government should uphold.”

In all these situations, Kok, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) and the MCA Youth were in effect defending the democratic principles of this country, namely in the preamble of the Rukun Negara which states -

• Achieving a more perfect unity amongst the whole of her society;

• Preserving a democratic way of life;

• Creating a just society where the prosperity of the country can be enjoyed together in a fair and equitable manner;

• Guaranteeing a liberal approach towards our traditional heritage that is rich and diverse;

• Building a progressive society that will make use of science and modern technology.

So I guess this makes them seditious and Islamophobic or touching on the 3R?


Speaking up for rakyat

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim enabled Kok’s detractors when he said that her stance did not reflect Pakatan Harapan's position.

"There is a problem... regulations are necessary so that Muslims do not feel apprehensive. But if she (Kok) feels that the regulations are not necessary in a certain area, discuss it properly," he said.

PM Anwar Ibrahim

First off, Kok was voicing concerns about a religious Jakim policy that would affect non-Muslim businesses.

Secondly, she never said that there was no need for Jakim regulations. Kok is a seasoned politician in a ketuanan (Malay supremacy) paradigm; hence, it is odious to imply that she meant that regulations for Muslims, which are the purview of Jakim, were unnecessary.

Lastly, she was right about placing an unnecessary burden on Malay businesses, which is why the Umno ulama wing made the suggestion it did.

Indeed, in response to the manufactured backlash, Kok acknowledged that this country's halal certification was one of the best in the world and that she supported it.

However, she was also a representative of all ethnic communities in this country and thus had to voice concerns that would affect everyone.

But the most cogent point she made to rebut the prime minister, who claimed she should have made her concerns known through the proper channels, was to rightly point out that the de facto religious minister had mentioned the Jakim proposal in “an open forum without prior engagement”.

So the question then becomes, why wasn’t there prior engagement with Harapan partners, and why are ministers suddenly making declarations without discussing them with coalition partners?

More importantly, in a public forum, Kok has every right to respond to another minister without fear of inviting sanctions from the state security apparatus.


Not the first time

And all of this is not new.

In 2016, the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) and the Malaysia Institute of International Islamic Cooperation (Ikiam) proposed a “halal certification” that differentiated between halal products produced by Muslims and non-Muslims.

Why, you ask? Well, according to Risda at the time - "The need for another halal logo is to distinguish products that were produced by Muslims against that of non-Muslims besides helping Risda smallholding entrepreneurs and Muslim entrepreneurs make forays into the halal markets locally and abroad."

Of course, Jakim had to issue a reminder.

"If Ikiam and Risda proceed with using a new halal logo for Muslim-made products (without Jakim's approval), it is an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (Halal certification and identification) Order," it said.

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said: “The deep understanding I can think of is that Jakim will make a lot of money. Already, it’s a billion ringgit business, and if the purpose is to make easy money, say so.”


Quashing dissent

Non-Muslims are always warned not to interfere with the religion of the state. We are told that the religion of the state only affects Muslims.

We are told that secularism, progressive democratic values and the right to defend them should not be at the expense of the religion of the state.

Indeed the Madani regime has created a political climate which is detrimental to dissent because DAP claimed to be the ones to hold the line against the creeping Islamisation of this country. Now we are told to be fearful of the “Green Wave”.

What are we really talking about here? Well, it means that non-Muslims standing up for their rights would be going against the 3R. It means that if you object to a policy based on religious grounds, you are going against the 3Rs.

The fact that Kok is under investigation is further evidence that any kind of dissent with regard to a religious policy which affects non-Muslims would involve state security intervention.

This, of course, is bad but what is worse is that all the Madani regime is doing is laying the foundation for when a theocratic state takes over.

Non-Muslim dissent against religious extremism or interference has been weaponised. This is one of the first principles of a theocratic state.

All this is merely the logical conclusion to the don't spook the Malays mantra.

S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”