THE Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue is concerned over a deliberate attempt on the part of certain extremist politicians to raise ethno-religious temperatures in the country.

There is a pattern of extremism that is gradually poisoning the conscience of Malaysians by creating walls of ethnic and religious mistrust that, if not addressed and deal with firmness, would destroy the very fabric of unity of the nation that was painstaking built since independence.

In spite of the advice by the rulers on the importance of political stability in the country since the 15th general election, there seems to be a deliberate and concerted afford to stir up issues related to LGBT community and Christianisation besides particularly targeting a minister of the government, who is considered a devout Christian.

Politicians and its extremist cohorts are unable to distinguish between facts and fiction as they are clouded by religious ideology and political expediency, placing Malaysia in a state of decline when it comes to unity among the multi-ethnic and religious society.

For example, when a particular MP was confronted by the speaker on his allegations on the presents of LGBT persons in women’s event, he was not able to substantiate it, which shows that lies that violates religious codes is okay, as long as it brings in political leverage.

The inability to distinguish between visiting places of worship and inter-faith dialogue by certain religious leader of a state shows how backward we are in understanding the complexity of people behaviour related to faith.

The inability to see goodness in others by consistently harping on religious differences by building walls of regulations among Malaysians shows that Malaysia is gradually in decline when it comes to reasoning its faith.

Many years ago, I witnessed a touching example of elderly Christian men who was walking to church on Sunday. It was almost time for the services, and he was struggling to walk fast, when a Muslim man who was performing security duties around the area observed the difficulties of this man to get to church on time, took the elderly Christian on his motorbike and left him at the entrance of the church. 

The elderly man was so grateful and he told me when I met him in church that God works in every one and the divine, transcending human logic, without preferences or ideology.

It was simply a Muslim person helping his fragile neighbour, with no strings attached.

I believe there are many similar stories of inter-ethnic solidarity among all communities in the Malaysian context that is seldom highlighted or presented by politicians, who use religion for political purposes or have an irrational view of faith. 

It is time for Malaysian politicians who are stirring up ethno-religious issues to be popular with their community to understand that beauty, goodness and truth is not monopoly of any religion, and to understand it one has to explore the complex maze of humanity, which is spiritual in essence.

Building walls of mistrust would only exacerbate the nation’s continuous decline in forging harmony and goodwill for the common good of all Malaysians. – March 19, 2023.

* Ronald Benjamin is secretary for the Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.