Yup, that's what my friend exclaimed in response to the latest fiasco coming from our northern neighbour.
As exaggerated as it sounds, it's probably reflective of the sentiments that many people now have of Malaysia. This is due to a surge in ethnic and religious tension fanned by the controversial High Court ruling overturning a ban that now allows the Catholic Church to use the word "Allah" in its publications. The entire episode has been blown out of proportion
The fact that the media has had a field day publicising this issue and splashing angry messages on the front pages of newspapers does not help. Muslim pressure groups have publicly demonstrated against the ruling even after the firebombing incidents - an implicit defiance of the sensitivities of the Christians.
I'm not a theologian and it does not concern me whether the term "Allah" predates Islam or should be exclusively used by Muslims despite the Catholic Church in Malaysia having used the term widely in their publications for decades.
The perpetrators of the firebombing incidents have crossed the line that most Muslims in Malaysia will never want (or dare) to cross. However, a response to the High Court's ruling speaks more of a society that harbours deep divisions that run along ethnic and religious lines, against PM Najib's vision of "1Malaysia".
This latest attack will reinforce the fears of the minorities who already perceive the attack on the churches as an attack on the minorities - who else are predominately (and officially) Christians in Malaysia except the Chinese and some Indians?
Already, there has been widespread accusations of institutional discrimination against the minority religions. The authorities have been slow to issue permits to the construction of new churches, and religious court cases such as the highly publicised hearings to allow official recognition of conversion of Muslims to Christianity always favour the Muslims. The Government appealing to the High Court to overturn its ruling and the authorities seizing copies of imported bibles in Sabah and Sarawak reaffirm this long-held belief. Islam as a religion is perceived to be given special privileges, sometimes at the expense of minority religions.
These actions speak of the Malay-Muslim majority having a "siege mentality" of sorts, being deeply suspicious of the minorities, and taking steps to ensure the pre-eminence of the Malays through dominance of the political system.
Former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam once said that the Malays should stop having an inferiority complex, and the non-Malays to stop encouraging the Malays to develop an inferiority complex.
But the sad fact of this awful episode is this: Already disgusted at being treated as second-class citizens, angry at doing all the hard work of propping up the economy, and hopeful of the opportunities that one can get elsewhere, more and more people from the minorities who are fearful for their security will want to leave Malaysia for a better future.
Already losing talent and potential taxation revenue, Malaysia will face a brain drain if this migration trend turns into an exodus.
But for now, first steps first: PM Najib must prove that he is a leader for all Malaysians. He must be prepared to fight entrenched interests within his own party and that of the Malay majority to ensure a more level playing field for all races, if he wishes to realise his "1Malaysia" vision.
As exaggerated as it sounds, it's probably reflective of the sentiments that many people now have of Malaysia. This is due to a surge in ethnic and religious tension fanned by the controversial High Court ruling overturning a ban that now allows the Catholic Church to use the word "Allah" in its publications. The entire episode has been blown out of proportion
The fact that the media has had a field day publicising this issue and splashing angry messages on the front pages of newspapers does not help. Muslim pressure groups have publicly demonstrated against the ruling even after the firebombing incidents - an implicit defiance of the sensitivities of the Christians.
I'm not a theologian and it does not concern me whether the term "Allah" predates Islam or should be exclusively used by Muslims despite the Catholic Church in Malaysia having used the term widely in their publications for decades.
The perpetrators of the firebombing incidents have crossed the line that most Muslims in Malaysia will never want (or dare) to cross. However, a response to the High Court's ruling speaks more of a society that harbours deep divisions that run along ethnic and religious lines, against PM Najib's vision of "1Malaysia".
This latest attack will reinforce the fears of the minorities who already perceive the attack on the churches as an attack on the minorities - who else are predominately (and officially) Christians in Malaysia except the Chinese and some Indians?
Already, there has been widespread accusations of institutional discrimination against the minority religions. The authorities have been slow to issue permits to the construction of new churches, and religious court cases such as the highly publicised hearings to allow official recognition of conversion of Muslims to Christianity always favour the Muslims. The Government appealing to the High Court to overturn its ruling and the authorities seizing copies of imported bibles in Sabah and Sarawak reaffirm this long-held belief. Islam as a religion is perceived to be given special privileges, sometimes at the expense of minority religions.
These actions speak of the Malay-Muslim majority having a "siege mentality" of sorts, being deeply suspicious of the minorities, and taking steps to ensure the pre-eminence of the Malays through dominance of the political system.
Former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam once said that the Malays should stop having an inferiority complex, and the non-Malays to stop encouraging the Malays to develop an inferiority complex.
But the sad fact of this awful episode is this: Already disgusted at being treated as second-class citizens, angry at doing all the hard work of propping up the economy, and hopeful of the opportunities that one can get elsewhere, more and more people from the minorities who are fearful for their security will want to leave Malaysia for a better future.
Already losing talent and potential taxation revenue, Malaysia will face a brain drain if this migration trend turns into an exodus.
But for now, first steps first: PM Najib must prove that he is a leader for all Malaysians. He must be prepared to fight entrenched interests within his own party and that of the Malay majority to ensure a more level playing field for all races, if he wishes to realise his "1Malaysia" vision.
1 comment:
haha.. so you do look at Najib pretty highly huh. Just look at what he did to the elections in Perak before this.
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