THE use of religious fundamentalism by a dominant party in the ruling federal government will divide the country along religious and racial lines, said a human rights group.

“I worry that the aspiration for a Malaysian society has been lost because today’s politicians want people to identify with their race and their religion more than before,” said Michael Vatikiotis, Asia director for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

“This is a concern,” Vatikiotis told reporters at the forum, “Democracy in Southeast Asia: Achievements, challenges, prospects”, held by Suhakam in Kuala Lumpur today.

Vatikiotis, an author and former editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review, said the rise of religious fundamentalism in Southeast Asia is due to economic and social anxiety.

“We should be very concerned. This has not happened to the same degree before. We heard today on the panel and in the conference that everyone is expressing concern on this.”

“This is the most worrying prospect for the next general election. Yes, there are bread and butter issues, problems that affect livelihoods and the GST (goods and services tax).

“But, the government’s use of divisive issues like race and religion is a concern for everybody,” he said.

Vatikiotis, who has lived in Southeast Asia for 30 years, added that there is a push for identity politics in Malaysia and observed that today’s Malaysians are under more pressure to identify with race and religion than in the 1990s.

Earlier, during the forum, Vatikiotis said foundational laws and institutions, which enshrine tolerance and the rights of other faiths, were eroded by a counter-movement of Wahabi teachings financed by Saudi Arabia.

This was in response to the Shia-based teachings of Ayatollah Khomeini, which were adopted by young Muslims in Southeast Asia in the late 20th century.

“By the early years of the 21st century, these seeds of intolerance have already taken root in societies. They’ve spawned movements that preached hatred for non-Muslims and formed the basis of the pressure groups that agitate for the implementation of shariah law and the waging of violent jihad.”

“To a great extent, these developments were mirrored elsewhere in the Muslim world and Muslim communities across Europe and they were turbo-charged by the attacks on Washington DC and New York in 2001.”

Vatikiotis said “to fish for votes”, politicians found that appealing to identity politics was “the surest way to win.”

“Here in Malaysia, calculations made by the ruling Umno to defend its weakening appeal have led to dangerous forays into religious bigotry. These have strained communal ties and to some extent undermined the traditions of pluralism that underpins stability in this country.”

Vatikiotis said there needs to be a conscious recognition of the threat to pluralism and the effects of poorly regulated democratic politics.

“Institutions need to establish codes of conduct that regulate hate speech and reaffirm support for constitutional legal safeguards on diversity and tolerance.”

Vatikiotis again homed in on economic and social anxiety as the reason of rising religious fundamentalism in Southeast Asia.

“You have rapid economic growth but it’s a stressful environment. Things were more predictable when people lived in the villages. You had good years or bad years in terms of harvest, but in the city, you may lose your job and things turn insecure.”

“Singapore has seen a rise in Christianity because people are worried about the future. And so you turn to the churches, mosques or temples. And this is happening in urban areas across Southeast Asia.

“Those who preach extremist views prey on these people and exploit them. Only a very small number of people become radicals and extremists. The majority take refuge in religion as a way of dealing with uncertainty.”

Vatikiotis said Malaysia remains a “significant transit point” for extremists returning from the Middle East and heading to the Philippines and Indonesia.  

“It’s important that the security services are vigilant because people are coming through this region, heading for areas where they feel they can conduct campaigns of radicalism and extremism,” he said, adding that the reasons for young Muslims joining Islamic State (IS) or Al-Qaeda from the region may be due to the lack of self-esteem, lack of opportunity or poverty.

Meanwhile, Alissa Wahid of the Gusdurian Institute said the Arabisation of Islam in the region is a way for religious fundamentalists to shore up power.

“We know that Indonesian wealth is concentrated in Java, and in Jakarta,” she spoke at today’s forum.

“So people in other parts of Indonesia feel they are being treated unfairly and lack opportunities or a future. For many people, this plays into the hands of the extremists.”

Alissa said provincial political groups would fan regionalism and religious fundamentalism to gain support.

“For example, (they would say), ‘Democracy is what the non-Muslims devise to destroy the Muslims’, even in countries where the Muslims are the majority.”

“‘Look at Indonesia, look at the good people, They’re all Muslims. And they are still poor because democracy gives better economic opportunities to the non-Muslims’,” she said.

“This religious exclusivity and orthodoxy appeal because they provide dignity to Muslims and a role to play to regain control of the nation. The aspiration to have more shariah laws in Indonesia, for example, is part of this fight to get more power.” – September 3, 2017.