Asia Times
By Fabio Scarpello
Jan 16 2010
DENPASAR, Bali – The escalating Allah controversy that has resulted in the bombing of Christian churches across Malaysia has called into question the country’s moderate Muslim credentials and could have major repercussions for political alliances that underpin the United Malays Nasional Organization (UMNO)-led coalition government.
Both main political blocs – UMNO and the Anwar Ibrahim-led Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition coalition – have bid to capitalize on the violence, which has devolved from an obscure freedom of expression issue into a volatile matter of internal security that could potentially determine the government’s political survival.
UMNO has so far come out the worse for wear with its credibility shaken and reputation bruised by perceptions it has tacitly condoned the violence targeting Christians. Political analysts believe those perceptions, fanned by online media and blogs, could alienate UMNO’s moderate Muslim base and perhaps more importantly constituencies in the swing states of Sabah and Sarawak, whose parliamentarians help to maintain UMNO’s parliamentary majority.
Some analysts predict that the violence could coax certain constituencies, particularly Christians in Sabah and Sarawak, away from UMNO and towards the PR opposition, potentially paving the way for the parliamentary defections Anwar has long sought to topple the government. Others believe UMNO’s poor handling of the violence could sway more voters against the party at the next election, which already promised to be hotly contested.
UMNO’s politicization of ethnicity and religion has a long history. Many feel those tactics have paved the way for the recent senseless attacks against at least nine churches in the wake last month’s High Court ruling in favor of Catholic weekly newspaper, the Herald, that allowed the publication to use the word “Allah” in reference to the Christian God.
Lim Teck Ghee, director for the Kuala Lumpur-based Center for Policy Initiatives, said that hot-headed Muslims would not have felt emboldened enough to throw firebombs at churches had former prime minister Mahathir Mohammad not “shifted the political goal posts in 2001 by pronouncing Malaysia as an Islamic state”.
Another wedge driven between local religions, Gee says, was former premier Abdullah Badawi’s neglect of inter-faith dialogue in favor of what he characterizes as the former premier’s “empty Islamic Hadhari rhetoric”. He also pinned the blame on academics, a partisan media and the attorney general “for having failed to draw attention to the rise of political party-related religious and right-wing extremism”.
The approach of current UMNO leader and Prime Minister Najib Razak to the controversy has apparently been influenced by the March 2008 election results, which saw the heretofore invincible Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition lose power in five of the federation’s 13 states and yield its long-held two-thirds majority in parliament.
A series of by-elections since have underlined the shift in voter-sentiment away from UMNO and indicated that its past politicking in favor of Malay Muslims over minority groups is no longer the rock-solid strategy it previously was. Minorities, including ethnic Chinese and Indians, constitute 40% of the Malaysian electorate.
The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), the respective ethnic Indian and Chinese parties of the BN coalition, were virtually wiped off the political map at the last election. Meanwhile, UMNO simultaneously lost substantial support among its traditional Malay Muslim constituency.
The BN currently controls 137 of 220 parliamentary seats; PR, on the other hand, holds sway over 82 seats, while three members of parliament are independent of either coalition. Anwar recently told this correspondent that several BN parliamentarians had long been ready to cross over, but were held back “by fear of repression”.
Those claims are difficult to substantiate, but the Allah controversy has confirmed to many political observers that UMNO has given up trying to revive the political fortunes of the MCA or MIC and is now deliberately moving to withdraw into its conservative, nationalist past.
The earlier decision to ban The Herald from using the word “Allah”, as well as the vociferous reaction to the court verdict last month that reinstated the paper’s right to use the word in its publications was to many observers a thinly veiled attempt to reunite a splintered ethnic Malay vote – which combined represents some 60% of the country’s 26 million people.
That strategy was apparently based on the assumption that the controversy would not alienate the large Christian constituencies in Sabah and Sarawak. Non-Muslims form the majority in the two states and Christians form the single biggest constituency by faith, accounting for 47% of the two Borneo-based states’ combined population.
The Allah controversy’s ripple effect, many agree, has been to discredit UMNO’s claim to ethnic Malay supremacy and emboldened the PR’s clarion call for multiracial harmony. Instead of driving more Muslims intro the UMNO fold, the church attacks seem to have renewed momentum towards an ethnic-blind country and political system.
UMNO’s religious bluff – that the Allah issue represented a threat to Islam and was part of a larger pro-Christian plot to convert Muslims – has been refuted by the opposition-led Parti Islam-se Malaysia (PAS), viewed widely as Malaysia’s most traditional Islamic party. PAS has so far largely stood by The Herald, underscoring the notion that the controversy is not a religious issue, but rather a political one.
As a consequence, PAS could lose appeal with its past core traditional Islamic constituency, but could in the process pick up more moderate Muslims that desert UMNO over the controversy. The opposition party could also benefit from emerging grass roots campaigns that have pinned the blame for the violence squarely on UMNO.
A group consisting of 121 non-governmental organizations and other religious and professional organizations has since the bombings promoted solidarity between religions while at the same time condemned UMNO. Farouk Musa, a leader of the umbrella group, said that such violence against places of worship “is as much an affront to Islam and to all religions as it is to Christians”.
The opposition is bidding to piggyback on those campaigns. “The UMNO-led government’s appeal is waning, not only with the non-Malays but also with the vast majority of Malays who realize that the ruling party has lost its way,” said Anwar in an interview with this correspondent. “UMNO’s ability to hold onto enough seats in parliament will be questioned by many if it continues down this reckless path.”
That promises in the weeks ahead to turn the political focus on Sabah and Sarawak. In those two states, people’s identity is tied mostly to tribe rather than religion or political affiliation, marking a different political culture than other areas of the country. Elections, especially in Sarawak, have historically been dominated by money politics, which UMNO has been able to influence with its access to state coffers.
Sarawak’s 31 seats account for 13% of parliament’s seats, while Sabah’s is slightly less with a tally of 25. All parliamentarians except for two from Sarawak and Sabah are currently aligned with the BN. But a sudden swing in favor of the opposition would mathematically be enough to topple the BN and bring Anwar and the PR to power.
Notably political leaders in the two states have remained muted as the Allah controversy has spiraled. But there are unmistakable signs of grassroots discontent. Some Borneo-based religious leaders, activists and academics have expressed anger over what they perceive as UMNO’s contempt for the collective political weight of Christian voters. Those rising sentiments accentuate what was already a growing sense of alienation in the two states vis-a-vis the wealthier peninsula.
The two states joined Malaya in 1963 on the basis of the so-called 20-point agreement for Sabah and the 18-point agreement for Sarawak. The agreements were written for the purpose of safeguarding the interests, rights and the autonomy of the people of the two states on the formation of the federation. It was originally envisaged that the two states would be two of four entities in the federation, the others being Malaya and Singapore.
Over time, Sabah and Sarawak’s political weight has diminished as two of 13 states in a wider federation, which also comprises three federal territories: Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya. Aside from nominally separate immigration controls, there is little evidence that the two states have maintained any degree of autonomy, including over natural resource exploitation.
In recent years, Sabah in particular has accused Kuala Lumpur of exploiting its resources; some estimate as much as 95% of the profits from Sabah’s natural resources is taken by the federal government. UMNO has arguably been remiss in addressing Sabah’s and Sarawak’s demands for more equitable revenue sharing, opening the way for Anwar’s opposition to make inroads through promises of a better economic deal.
Anwar’s coalition has actively bid to win over local politicians, saying that the coalition “is ready to show strong commitments to at least some of the East Malaysia’s (Sabah and Sarawak ) demands.” At last December’s opposition coalition convention, PR leaders made strong references to Sabah and Sarawak and promised to resolve contested issues on oil royalties and problems facing different local ethnic groups who are among the poorest and least educated in the country.
Whether those promises and growing disenchantment over the church bombings will be enough to win wholesale defections in Sabah and Sarawak is yet to be seen. PR has not yet fully mobilized its election machinery in the two insular states and some doubt that Anwar has done enough yet to win over local hearts and minds. But even if the church bombings motivate a split of the two state’s votes, it could be enough to swing the electoral balance in Anwar’s and the PR’s favor.
Fabio Scarpello is the Southeast Asia correspondent for Adnkronos International. He may be contacted at [email protected]
Strange …first UMNO play God……now the Indian race.
I read at Malaysiakini…wonderful arguments…asking UMNO….what about the many more thousands Indonesians and Philippinos….in Sarawak and Sabah…..all are immigrants..why nothing been done.
Why are they given Malaysian citizens?
Tiny little county with so many double standards..for people and the Islamic religion…all decided by UMNO BARU…as God…as Dictator…as true corrupted hypocrites with faces ..as thick as onions.
Since the people are focusing on Dr. Phorntip…Barry Wain’s book….that Mahathir squandered RM100 billion tax payers money…burning of churches took center stage…to make Malaysians out of focus and concentrations.
Yet…the end result….UMNO will surely loose more voters.
In that sense…God is really great.
WHEN WE HAVE THE “kING OF UMNO JOKERS” COMING OUT WITH HIS LASTEST DIRECTIVE ON THE USAGE OF ALLAH IN EAST MALAYSIA, HE HAS COMPLICATED THE Allah controversy EVEN FURTHER.
MUSLIM ALLAH MUST BE GETTING CRAZY WITH HIS CHILDREN OF GOD!!!
So, d Allah-God issue, a non-issue purposely raised by racist Umno B, is indeed a God/Allah-sent gift 2 PR n ppl of Sabah n Sarawak – a mesej, time 2 VOTE Umno B out, hallelujah, Amen
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/49845-four-reasons-for-controversial-allah-ruling
High Court judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan’s 57-page judgment clearly shows her unwavering understanding of our constitution
She ruled dat d Home Minister n d Government of Malaysia had made decisions that were illegal, unconstitutional n irrational when they barred the Catholic newspaper from publishing d word “Allah” in its Bahasa Malaysia section
She is truly brave 2 uphold TRUTH against Umno B/BN; brave heart, tapik her
Furthermore, Lau BL’s judgment exposes d gross incompetence of our AG n HH
They shld b charged 4 treason 4 trying 2 twist something illegal, unconstitutional n irrational into legal n constitutional, n inciting ignorant ppl 2 get unnecessarily excited n cause unnecessary troubles
“PR has not yet fully mobilized its election machinery in the two insular states and some doubt that Anwar has done enough yet to win over local hearts and minds.” (Fabio Scarpello)
Are the PR politicians who already got used to the comfort of urban life ready to take time to pay visit to the far remote areas of the aboriginal tribes deep inside the hinterlands of Sabah and Sarawak? Please remember to bring along a few bags of rice when the PR politicians are going to enter a tribal village in Sabah and Sarawak. To most aborigine people, the rice looks much more real than the words-of-mouth from the politicians.
Dat’s Y rice yatim is Umno’s invaluable secret weapon in tribal villages in East M’sia
Non-Islamic Religions Enactment 1988 restricts the use either verbally or in print of the word “Allah” for non-Muslims. As Nazri points out that enactment applies to states (with Sultans) excluding Sabah, Sarawak, Penang and the Federal Territories. This means Hamid’s ban on Herald in 2007 was misconceived even by Shariah enactment. Yet Govt after a brief rescission, reactivated the ban, ostensibly justified on excuse that the common use of the word might confuse Muslims leading to their ‘proselytization’. As Reverend Herman Shastri asked in AlJazeera programme : how could this happen when Muslims and Christians worship in different places of mosques and churches respectively? Not so plausible, Fabio Scarpello describes the official reason for the ban as “UMNO’s religious bluff”. The real reason is to accommodate proponents/adherents of Ketuanan based on the so-called Social Contract. They form an influential block of the ruling party’s traditional power brokers & voting base. As the writer says “UMNO’s politicization of ethnicity and religion has a long history”. However it is a history of political dominance of over 53 years – until political tsunamy of 308, rallied by Anwar/PR’s clarion call for a more inclusive/multiracial approach. It looks like a wave of the future as Malaysian voters come of age. So UMNO/BN try to emulate/compete with its own version of 1 Malaysia1. It takes tentative steps to change BTN’s curriculum, and lately admit 30% non bumi to the elite RMC, then new economic model to attract investors ostensibly watering down the harsher aspects of NEP. That means that it is not ready to just jettison Ketuanan. It takes time to wean crutches and change mindset, so they say. Too drastic, they will immediately lose Ketuanan vote base and its warlords will remove whosoever leader that tries it. Against this backdrop the Herald issue exploded and acts of arson on churches brings a larger issue to the fore – is the Govt living up to 1 Malaysia or Ketuanan? Trying to hold 2 diametrically opposed principles – Ketuanan & 1 Malaysia- is already stressful, now made worse by this issue. How to resolve it?
Though Mahathir has said Courts cannot resolve “Allah” issue, when asked to comment on Nazri’s ‘compromise’ formula, Muhyiddin said at the moment the government (in maintaining the appeal) would abide by the court’s ruling – Source: Malaysiakini Jan 16.
Falling back on Court’s ruling has several advantages for the ruling party besides the obvious legal legitimacy. Contrary to those who expect Court to be not so independent and hence would rule against Herald, it may be the contrary. There is every chance that it may rule favouring Nazri’s compromise formula. Though we have argued that the formula is illogical – and so far seems to satisfy neither Church leaders nor (say) Jakim – there is somekind of legal way out based on what reader Rocky highlighted in last thread on the 20 point Sabah/18 point agreement point 1 of which says “…the provisions relating to Islam in the present Constitution of Malaya should not apply to North Borneo.”
(Continuing from preceding post #8)
This means East Malaysians have two legal avenues to assert their legal right to use the word: (a) non applicability of the Non-Islamic Religions Enactment 1988 restricting its use, and (b) the 20 Borneo Memorandum.
Rocky asks, will the govt honours it? Yes or no depends on the reasons. If one says legal reasons or giving way to Churches’ position, then each by themselves “no” unless these pertain to and affect the UMNO/BN’s political survival in East Malaysian states.
One has to consider the following political considerations:
1. In 308 Tsunamy had it not been the solid support of Sabah & Sarawak, BN would havbe lost the Federal Govt.
2. This issue has metamorphosed from Christian/Muslim issue over use of the word to that of Ketuanan versus 1 Malaysia and now even fuirther to whether Federal govt would honour the Borneo Agreement….
3. Not too long ago in end 2004, Kayveas mentioned about review of the 20 point agreement. Even Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties defended the position not to review; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) said yes even if review it must be for better than worse SAPP’s stand was that there was no need to review if it was to derogate their special rights terms. BN’s political lackeys in East Malaysia may play ball with Federal on how to mutually exploit the states’ economic resources but when it comes to other things like immigration from West malaysia and possibly point 1 of Borneo Agreement, they may not, especially when Jeffrey Kitingan, still a party member of PKR, is on the wings to confirm PR’s commitment to it, especially to 900,000 Christian voters there….
With next election in purview, it makes political sense justified on legal grounds for BN to offer Nazri’s compromise solution – illogical though it may sound upon its terms. It can tell Ketuanan advocates that Ketuanan is not sacrificed in Peninsular. It can rely on Court Appeal’s ruling endorsing Nazri’s formula saying that it respects rule of law (esp Borneo Agreement) laid down by independent judiciary! Most important it does not alienate its voting base in the East Malaysian states as bulwark against the Opposition’s march towards Putrajaya.
On its official ‘proselytization’ line, govt could defend compromise formula on grounds that in the Peninsular, Non-Islamic Religions Enactment 1988 applies but it does not in East Malaysia by reason of 20 & 18 point Agreement. There’s no derogation of Christians’ rights in Peninsular because majority use English version of Bible unlike East Malaysian counterparts using Bahasa version.
Mahathir said courts cannot resolve “Allah” issue. Govt in maintaining appeal against High Court’s Lau Bee Lan decision is not heeding his advice.
The court decision favourable to Herald (confined to East Malaysia) may be the Govt’s best ace yet to get out of the dilemma – that is, if the Church leaders agree. It will tell them ½ compromise is better than none. They should consider defusing the gridlock: national interest is at stake as arsons reflect the tensions.
Its bad enough that use of the word “Allah” has become a religious issue, the Govt would be crazy to let it turn into a greater secession issue!
What abt national exams like PMR, SPM, STPM
Students in East Malaysia, when answering Q in Moral Education and Religious Study
Use Allah for God in their answers
Will their answers be marked wrong by examiners in West M’sia
What abt East M’sians studying in universities in West M’sia
Use Allah for God (out of habit lah) in their answers, alamak, how lah?
Sheesh …….. life is tough lah under 1M’sia, 2Allah-God system
I fear it is ALREADY too late. It is clear that UMNO/BN is incapable of preventing disaster from happening. The problem is while PR has the answer for the problems long term, it cannot do so without significant danger of collateral damage.
The day PR takes over power, security will be no. 1 issue. It must be ready to control the vast security machinery from the army, police, MACC, JPJ, Rela, religious and youth organisations that are institutionalised to serve UMNO and its ideology for decades. It must be ready to appeal to those in UMNO that is willing to cooperate for the sake of the country possibly even KJ, Idris Jala, Shahrir Samad, Tengku Razaleigh..
UMNO is a political party that carters for “TWISTERS and TURNERS”, so should anyone be surprised to see a word of LOVE (ALLAH) have caused so much of damage to the Malaysian society….a controversy created by the hardcore LIARS from the Ketuanan race…….
It is really about that one simple word?
Or there are other conspiracies?
Pls la, Malaysian are smart enough to see all these things.
It is a really shame that we fighting for these issues and other countries are doing hard to develop thier country.
Satu Malaysia!!!
Nice to hear but you people say only. One simple word already shown there is no such thing in your people mind set.
Then, how Malaysia can develop? Only left 9 years for our Wawasan 2020.
How is the progress??
What a shame!
I can only hope his assessment of UMNO’s waning Malay support is correct. The regime of radicals seem to be growing by the day.
Umno definitely opt playing with violence in the the last resort. PKR forntline must be strong and firm, do not let these buggers crush you. Don’t let these basta*d get off, put them in jail or if law allow, shoot them like China. Worst than a thief, suck our generation hard earn money for personal gain.
It seems like giving much assertion to the enforcement of 20 points agreement as mentioned in the Federal Constitution is the only viable political expediency insofar. It will be the best viable way for BN to buy time in order to play safe for the coming General Election. Meanwhile, BN will always attempt to use Dr. Mahathir’s foul method to naturalize those illegal aliens from Indonesia who reside and work illegally in Sabah and Sarawak. If Umno has already announced Malaysia as an “Islamic State”, it seems that to further promote Islam in East-Malaysia is a policy of no-return for Umno. The ultimate goal of Umno will still be the further push of Islamisation process in Malaysia, including both West Malaysia and East Malaysia. Islamisation is the end result of BN’s educational system, which put a great emphasis on Islamic religious teaching through public mass communication media such as TV, Radio and official functions of the Federal Government.
all these ills started the day mahitler sat in office as the 4th prime minister. Instead of implementing policies that are more inclusive, he chose the easiest way out for the malays by implementing discriminatory and racist policies.
As with all short-sighted or short cut schemes, the results will always come back and haunt you. Instead of having the peace of the fifties and sixties, he have gotten worst in everything.
Thank you not mahathir.
Speculating on the UMNO government next course of action can’t be easy if at all possible. As High Court Judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan pointed out that on this issue, the government’s actions had been illegal, unconstitutional & irrational. The said actions about sums up what the present government is all about.
Malaysia is a ROJAK country! First, they mixed politics with business, as evidenced in MCA’s Multipurpose Holdings, then they mixed politics with race. Now they mix politics with religion!
In the very first place, what has ALLAH got to do with politics in Malaysia? Why drag the Almighty into such a “dirty arena”?
How many % of the ministers are Christians? If God is that important, let us divide the power among the religions and not the race.
This Allah thing is really a non issue.
It’s not what people call their gods but what they do to their fellow men that’s important!!
Time to wake up and understand this basic concept.
To say UMNO is entertaining both ketuanan and 1Malaysia is a misnomer. The raison d’être of UMNO is ketuanan. Without ketuanan, UMNO does not need to exist. 1Malaysia is just a slogan to buy time, to hoodwink, and to subdue the clamour for change and equality.
It is obvious Fabio Scarpello is supportive of PR. But we can not simply discount UMNO’s dual-tracks strategy, i.e catering to its traditional parochial support while at the same time appealing to the moderates. We cannot assume that the people in general are enlightened. Most are still subjected to manipulation. So come whatever the issues, be it state rights, 20 points, exploitation of state resources, uneven sharing of revenue, and now religion, the voting on the ground could be very different from what most well-informed would think. All the issues I mentioned are hot, not just religion. But did the state of Sabah and Sarawak vote differently during the past forty years?
To UMNO, I have the inkling that they are treating this issue just like another temporary storm. They are still longing for the calm to return so that the gravy train can continue. We shall see whether this particular issue will lead to something bigger. If past experience and observation are relied on, it will usually fizzle out to nothing. But then, may be this time it is UMNO who want bigger thing to happen. When push comes to shove, it is about power and sustenance of that power; who really care how we call our God.
I like what one blogger commented in Straight Talk;-
That “OXFART” cunning and apportunistic bull is at its wit again. This time trying to be a hero trying to teach religious issues to East Malaysians. Just the look at him will make one puke. BN Youth the model for the younger generation to follow? No, thanks. This is the same group of goons who, until recently, were wielding keris while threatening other races and physically harassed wheelchair-bound DAP leader Karpal Singh in Parliament.
Hey, you “oxfart” bull, please don’t ‘kacau’ East Malaysians. The people who created the tension are not from the East.
What makes us East Malaysians proud is that we do not play racial and religious politics. Look at Sabah and Sarawak: when we campaign for elections, we never use racial issue to gain support. We do not make racist remarks and attack other races. Only West Malaysians play such a dangerous and selfish game. “Oxfart”, please don’t bring in your racist and religious game to East Malaysia.
Get your dirty hands off Sabah and Sarawak. We do not need you and your extremists to come and colonise us. First, the chief minister’s post was rotated among the BN component parties. Then, Umno said that only the dominant party could take the CM’s post.
The Sabahans now realise this and will kick them out in the next general election. The Allah row should not have happened, but Umno started it, and now they have shot themselves in the foot. This is a blessing in disguise for Sabah and Sarawak.
Just kick this “Oxfart” and his goons out before they create racial and religious tensions in our “Land Of PEACE”. We have enough from you guys.
Like I have said on other blogs, how sure are these UMNOPUTRAS that the Almighty wants to be called by this name “ALLAH”? Have they obtained the Almighty’s consent to call Him thus?
Umno is using what ever it takes to defend the word ALLXH ,giving one of the reasons is the security of the country.If Umno is sincere about this,why’s it still in Sabah we have thousands of illegal immigrants,coupled with thousands of dubious citizens all roaming about in the state. Pretty lots of these illegals have wreaked havoc to people and property,yet the government just remain silent despite endless complaints and reports to the authorities concern. How come the Umno led government did not bother to safeguard Sabahans in the manner they are safeguarding the word ALLXH. I call upon all true Sabahans to rise up,to sending a clear signal to Umno/Bn regime to act immediately,failing which we would kick them out in the next general election.
To the ignorant fighting over God’s name is more important then obeying him and living a righteous life. They think God is stupid like men and can be cheated? They think they can use God’s name for political gains?
IN the 10 commandments given by Moses, one of them is ” You shall not steal.” CORRUPTION is stealing.
“You shall not murder.” (Justice for Teoh Beng Hock)
You abuse the people not enough, now you want to abuse God?
Deutoronomy 5:11,”You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”
Your days are numbered UH..NOOO!!!
Maybe these guys should follow what the Chinese do when they have questions to ask the divine powers. We Chinese throw two pieces of wood with a curve side and a flat side known as “Sheng Bei” to ask questions which the divine powers indicate by the different combinations the Sheng Bei lands! This way, we can know if the Almighty is happy with this name “Allah”!