Mahathir Mohd Rais
Published: Mar 15, 2026 2:00 PM
Updated: 5:00 PM
COMMENT | Malaysia has long been admired as a country where people of different races, religions and cultures live side by side in relative peace.
This harmony did not happen by accident. It was built slowly through mutual restraint, quiet tolerance and a shared understanding that stability matters more than winning arguments.
Islam itself provides a clear foundation for such coexistence. The Quran reminds humanity that we were created as different nations and tribes so that we may know one another, not despise one another.
Respect for others is therefore not a political mantra. It is a religious obligation.
Respect does not require agreement. Muslims are not expected to participate in the rituals of other faiths, but neither are they permitted to mock or insult them.
In the same spirit, non-Muslims are expected to be sensitive to matters that may offend Muslim beliefs. This balance is what allows a plural society to function without constant tension.
Islam also draws a firm boundary. Muslims must preserve their faith and principles, but firmness in belief does not justify hostility in behaviour. The Prophet’s example was not one of provocation but of patience, dignity and wisdom, even when confronted with hostility.
Deeply troubling incidents
That is why recent incidents involving individuals who deliberately stir religious tensions are deeply troubling. Actions that mock, insult or symbolically attack the beliefs of others do not strengthen Islam. They undermine it.
A video screenshot of Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak stepping on a soolam
When religious symbols are ridiculed, emotions quickly escalate, and ordinary people who had nothing to do with the original dispute become drawn into anger.
Those who speak in the name of religion cannot claim innocence for the consequences of their words, because their influence reaches far beyond their own circles.
Individuals such as Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, along with Firdaus Wong, Zamri Vinoth and a few others, have recently drawn attention through statements and actions linked to sensitive religious issues.
When remarks from such figures are perceived as sarcastic, provocative or dismissive of other faiths, the consequences extend beyond personal opinion and can ripple across society.
In Tamim’s case, the episode involving the Hindu trident symbol only deepened tensions at a time when calm judgment was most needed.
For those who publicly represent Islam, especially converts who actively engage in outreach, expectations are naturally higher. The essence of da’wah is to attract hearts through wisdom and good character, not to inflame emotions.
Words that ridicule or belittle other religions do not strengthen confidence in one’s own faith. Instead, they risk conveying the impression that embracing Islam leads to hostility rather than compassion, even though Islamic teachings emphasise dignity, restraint and mercy.
It raises a simple question that many ordinary Malaysians quietly ask. If this is the tone of the message, how can it invite understanding? How does one preach mercy while sounding angry? It defies common sense.
When religious symbols are ridiculed, emotions quickly escalate, and ordinary people who had nothing to do with the original dispute become drawn into anger.
Those who speak in the name of religion cannot claim innocence for the consequences of their words, because their influence reaches far beyond their own circles.
Individuals such as Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, along with Firdaus Wong, Zamri Vinoth and a few others, have recently drawn attention through statements and actions linked to sensitive religious issues.
When remarks from such figures are perceived as sarcastic, provocative or dismissive of other faiths, the consequences extend beyond personal opinion and can ripple across society.
In Tamim’s case, the episode involving the Hindu trident symbol only deepened tensions at a time when calm judgment was most needed.
For those who publicly represent Islam, especially converts who actively engage in outreach, expectations are naturally higher. The essence of da’wah is to attract hearts through wisdom and good character, not to inflame emotions.
Words that ridicule or belittle other religions do not strengthen confidence in one’s own faith. Instead, they risk conveying the impression that embracing Islam leads to hostility rather than compassion, even though Islamic teachings emphasise dignity, restraint and mercy.
It raises a simple question that many ordinary Malaysians quietly ask. If this is the tone of the message, how can it invite understanding? How does one preach mercy while sounding angry? It defies common sense.
Preserving social harmony
Consider how any Muslim would feel if the Quran or the practice of polygamy were mocked publicly in subtle or sarcastic ways. Hurt would be inevitable. The same principle applies to followers of other faiths. Pain is not exclusive to any one religion.
The Quran itself warns against insulting the deities of others, because such actions may provoke retaliation against Allah. The message is straightforward. Islam does not teach believers to respond to provocation with further provocation. It teaches restraint, lawful action and preservation of social harmony.
Many scholars and responsible voices have already condemned actions that cross this line. Their intention is not to defend wrongdoing by others, but to prevent Muslims from committing a different kind of wrongdoing in response. Advising caution is not weakness. It is sanity.
Yet a worrying pattern often emerges. When corrected, some individuals do not respond with reason. They respond with anger. Debate turns into shouting. Advice is dismissed as betrayal. What should have been a discussion becomes a spectacle.
Real problems, such as illegal structures or land disputes, must be addressed through proper channels. If a temple or building has violated the law, the solution lies in enforcement, court processes and administrative action, not in public humiliation or religious taunting. Provocation solves nothing. It inflames everything.
Malaysia is a multi-religious society. When religious emotions are deliberately ignited, the consequences can spread far beyond the original issue. Entire communities feel targeted. Ordinary citizens who had no involvement began to feel resentment. Retaliation becomes more likely, not less.
This is why many Malaysians are increasingly uneasy. They wonder whether these incidents are truly about justice, or whether they are attempts to create division, weaken social trust and destabilise the country from within.
Islam never taught its followers to trample on the symbols of other religions. Nor did it teach them to live in a constant state of anger. Defending Islam should never mean embarrassing Islam.
A Hindu temple
Anger toward extremist groups abroad or unlawful acts at home must not be allowed to spill over into hatred toward entire communities.
Most Malaysian Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and others are peaceful citizens who do not support wrongdoing. Punishing everyone for the actions of a few only deepens division.
Inflammatory reactions
No religion teaches people to seize what does not belong to them. No religion teaches people to trespass. But just as importantly, no religion teaches people to humiliate others with cruelty.
What is most disturbing today is not only the original incidents but the reactions that follow. Online spaces are flooded with insults, slurs and dehumanising language. Some even celebrate the humiliation of others.
Anger toward extremist groups abroad or unlawful acts at home must not be allowed to spill over into hatred toward entire communities.
Most Malaysian Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and others are peaceful citizens who do not support wrongdoing. Punishing everyone for the actions of a few only deepens division.
Inflammatory reactions
No religion teaches people to seize what does not belong to them. No religion teaches people to trespass. But just as importantly, no religion teaches people to humiliate others with cruelty.
What is most disturbing today is not only the original incidents but the reactions that follow. Online spaces are flooded with insults, slurs and dehumanising language. Some even celebrate the humiliation of others.
This is not a strength. It is moral decay.
If we begin to judge entire races or religions based on the actions of individuals, we are nurturing a culture of hatred that can destroy the very foundations of the nation.
Malaysia was not built through insults. It was built through cooperation among communities that chose coexistence over conflict.
The rule of law must prevail. Those who break the law must face consequences. Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, generally do not support wrongdoing. But justice must not come at the cost of humanity.
The government also bears responsibility. Maintaining unity in a diverse society requires firm yet fair action against provocateurs while safeguarding the rights of all citizens. Harmony is not self-sustaining. It requires constant protection.
Managing differences
Islam is the religion of the Federation, yet the Constitution guarantees freedom for others to practise their faiths. This arrangement reflects both Islamic principles and constitutional law. The Quran itself states that there is no compulsion in religion. Faith cannot be forced, only demonstrated through character.
Religion is deeply tied to identity. When it is insulted, emotions run high. History has shown how quickly such tensions can escalate into violence if left unchecked. The tragic events of the past serve as a warning of how fragile peace can be.
True unity does not mean suppressing differences. It means managing them wisely. Issues involving religion must be handled with sensitivity, dialogue and respect, not with mockery or emotional outbursts.
At the same time, Muslims are reminded to uphold their identity with dignity. Defending Islam must be done in accordance with Islamic ethics. Fighting wrongdoing with wrongdoing only damages the image of the religion itself.
Good character is not optional in Islam. It is part of the message. Many people are drawn to the faith not by arguments, but by the behaviour of its followers.
Therefore, any individual or group that deliberately threatens interreligious harmony must be investigated and, if necessary, held accountable. Malaysians cannot afford to tolerate those who seek to provoke conflict for attention, influence or hidden agendas.
In the end, the greatest defence of Islam is not loud anger but quiet integrity. A nation as diverse as Malaysia survives not through dominance of one group over another, but through the shared commitment of all to live with restraint, respect and humanity.
If we lose that, no argument won online will matter.
MAHATHIR MOHD RAIS is a former Federal Territories Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional secretary. He is now a PKR member.
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