QUESTIONING in Parliament why Suhakam is mum on Firdaus Wong’s advice to religious teachers on how to covertly handle “requests” from minors wishing to secretly convert to Islam, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim has made it clear that as a Muslim, he does not condone such actions.

The purported excuse for Firdaus’ lecture to religious teachers on how to beat the law in handling purported requests from non-Muslim Form 3 and 4 children “who express their desire to convert” is an engineered defence of his unlawful and un-Islamic action. Young children like these are not concerned about “saving their souls after death” but about passing exams; and they would not know that they will not be allowed to get out of Islam if someday they regret having converted. Any “request” from them to convert would not have been voluntary, a decision of their own, but due to brainwashing and coaxing of the vulnerable children by some adults, with some carrots dangled. What a despicable act!   

Non-Malay children do not attend agama classes. So how would they have learnt about “saving their souls by converting to Islam” and going on to “express desire to convert”? What a lie to cook up?

When non-Muslims react to such nefarious activities with anger, they are quickly labelled as suffering from Islamophobia.

Why is it wrong for non-Muslims to express anger (just express anger, not react with anger) when their religious feelings are intentionally wounded after having been assured time and again that they are free to practice their beliefs in peace and that they do have to fear Islam?

With such divisive activities going on with impunity, all talk about creating racial harmony among Malaysians of various ethnicities and beliefs is all but heaps of horse manure.

Not only is Suhakam’s silence deafening, but also that of the national unity minister and of the prime minister himself, who had claimed that “anak Melayu anak saya; anak Cina anak saya; anak India, anak saya; anak Iban, anak saya”, etc.    

Islamophobia is a direct result of the words and actions of racists and fanatics that frighten non-Muslims about Islam. All the pronouncements that Islam is a religion of peace are rendered false by their words and actions. Is it then unjustified for the non-Muslims to fear Islam, more so when the authorities who preach that Islam is a religion of peace don’t lift a finger (or don’t dare lift a finger for fear of losing votes) to stop the racist and bigots damaging the good name of Islam? 

What was the National Unity Ministry set up for if it cannot stand up to racists and bigots who create national disunity? Is it for unity of a certain community so that they will vote en bloc for a particular political party or coalition instead of being divided and voting for different parties, or for bringing about unity of the different racial and religious communities in the country?

The various ethnic and religious groups were never divided as they are today. There was no Islamophobia among them before independence. To bring back that unity of the people, the racists and bigots who sow fear of Islam in the non-Muslims must be stopped. If it cannot be done through counselling, then it must be done the hard way – using Section 298A of the Penal Code and not Sec. 505(c).

My guess is that Sec. 298A is not being used because it provides “punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than two years and not more than five years”. There is no monetary penalty in lieu of prison. 

On the other hand, penalty under Sec. 505(c) is “imprisonment which may extend to two years or with fine or with both”. Thus, under this section, the accused can get away with a slap on the wrist while the public is placated that action has been taken. This only emboldens the racists and bigots.    

If the authorities have no intention of putting racists and bigots out of action, then don’t talk of racial harmony and don’t throw the word Islamophobia at the non-Muslims.

“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”. – June 28, 2024.

 * Ravinder Singh reads The Malaysian Insight.

* 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.