Anwar Pushes Back Against Conservatives

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So it's half-in, half out - a partial withdrawal of the controversial guidelines for Muslims attending non-Muslim events.
This had caused much consternation (including some Malays I know). So, a face-saving “solution” has been found.
On Feb 7, the cabinet agreed that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) could “advise” Muslims about preserving their faith but such advice “cannot be construed as a policy”.
However, the guidelines are still on the books, albeit as “advice”. Should they be withdrawn?
ADSObstacles to unity
The guidelines make it very difficult for Muslims to attend Chinese New Year (CNY) or Deepavali events or even house parties.
For example, the location must not contain non-Islamic symbols.
Say a Malay is invited by his neighbour for a CNY lunch. The host takes care to provide halal food with paper plates and cups (even though this is not eco-friendly).
But wait, there is some house decoration with dragons. Plus, two plastic pineapples that signify “ong lai” (luck come).
Technically, these are “non-Muslim symbols”. Under Jakim's “advice”, they must be removed before any Muslim can enter the house.
Even that may still not be good enough because another guideline states, the event location must not be close to a surau or mosque.
So, if the host’s house is, say, 50 metres from the housing estate surau, that means he can never invite any Muslims for any CNY celebration. For festivals, a surau thus inadvertently creates a Muslim exclusion zone around it.
One more hurdle is that the host must apply to the Islamic authorities for permission to invite Malays to his house!
Conservatives, say in PAS-ruled states, may still choose to enforce the guidelines with raids to “advise” Muslims who are “too liberal”.
If anyone objects, state Islamic officers can claim they are not home-grown radicals but merely following Jakim's example.
Which is why the situation is half in, half out.
ADSLooking for offence?
The person who proposed the guidelines, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Na’im Mokhtar claimed they were to foster “social and cultural” harmony.
Naim is entitled to tighten the rules for Muslims. But for non-Muslims, creeping conservatism is scary.
One can always find something to be offended about if one looks hard enough.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Na’im MokhtarFuture governments may declare that images of Deepavali lamps and rangoli floor designs are “offensive” to Muslims. What about the CNY lion dance or “yee sang”?
Oh well, this is a great excuse for Chinese bosses not to give ang pows to their Malay staff – it's “too sensitive”!
I remember instead efforts by the late PAS leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat to build a Chinese-style mosque in Kelantan. His aim was to show that Islam is universal and without racial prejudice.
But nowadays, someone may argue that curved Chinese roofs represent Buddhist beliefs to ward off evil spirits and Muslims, therefore, cannot enter.
Deep state?
The current brouhaha was totally unnecessary. Apparently, they started as a response (or overreaction) after preacher Firdaus Wong attacked Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for being unIslamic when he painted "open" the eyes of a lion dance head during a CNY event. (Firdaus was also the person who “discovered” and viralled the infamous “Allah socks” at KK Mart.)
In response, the prime minister said, “Some have raised the issue of Malays celebrating Chinese New Year, Thaipusam - things that have never been a problem for decades are now being made into an issue. But do we want to entertain this or focus on our unity?”
I like to believe that most Muslims have strong faith that won't be “shaken” by merely seeing a cross or dragon. So, it's hard to understand why Naim was nitpicking over the tiniest symbol that may be “sensitive”.
Why did the Madani government’s own minister seem to be working at cross purposes to Anwar’s goal of not making festivals “an issue”?
Some may speculate that there is a “deep state” bureaucracy that seeks to undermine the prime minister, or that certain officials in the system lean more towards PAS.
So, it was good for Anwar to dispel such rumours by getting the cabinet to find a compromise solution.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attending an event at the Batu Caves templeIt was also reported that Anwar visited the Batu Caves Hindu temple on Feb 7, the venue for a major Thaipusam celebration on Feb 11.
Kudos to Anwar for acting faster and more decisively to gently push back against ultra-strict rulings from Jakim.
This time, he is not letting things drag on, as in the KK Mart socks issue. That foot-dragging allowed someone else to “act male” with wagging fingers and a samurai sword.
I hope he takes a more proactive role in the future to foster unity and harmony, as he did in 1998, when he bravely stepped in to quell the racial clashes in Kampung Rawa, Penang.
No rational discussion
However, Anwar can only do so much when any rational discussion is branded as an “insult” to a certain religion.
For example, DAP Youth chief Woo Kah Leong said the guidelines only add bureaucratic red tape to interracial events.
He cited the “wisdom, openness and moderation” of the Agong attending the Chingay Parade in Johor.
Reasonable points indeed. Even if anyone disagrees with them, both sides should have a civilised debate to resolve the matter.
But no, instead those raising doubts were attacked. It's as if some believe they are “more equal” than others and not worthy of respectful discussions.
For example, PAS Youth condemned DAP Youth for being “biadab (insolent)”.
It was reported by Malaysiakini that PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden also dismissed the examples of the Agong and Selangor sultan attending non-Muslim events, insisting that Muslims will not bow to any attempt to undermine their “religious rights”.
Has PAS become so powerful that they can even override royal examples of moderation?
Let's hope that inter-faith relations improve under this government.
But it will take courage from Anwar himself to push his moderate agenda - even if conservatives in his own government are going the other way. - Mkini
ANDREW SIA is a veteran journalist who likes teh tarik khau kurang manis. You are welcome to give him ideas to brew at [email protected].
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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