Song Hong
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2020
- Messages
- 5,058
- Reaction score
- -25
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First came Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s backing out of his pledge to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). This treaty was rejected because of pressure from the majority Malay population, who wished to secure their affirmative-action privileges.
Umno has teamed up with its one-time arch enemy, the Islamist Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), to contest elections under the banner of Malay rights and Islam.
There are the calls for the boycott of non-Malay products, even halal products produced by non-Malays. It has also seen the proliferation of fake news involving race that has stirred anger and anxiety among segments of the Malay community suffering economic hardship.
Among this is false claims of mainland Chinese being indiscriminately granted citizenship in Malay-majority Malaysia, a story which went viral, causing Malays to feel they are losing out and that the country is about to be taken over by the Chinese.
Another incendiary hoax that circulated recently was a picture of a Chinese-looking man burning the Malaysian flag, angering many Malays who called Malaysian-Chinese people unpatriotic, with some netizens demanding that “Chinese pigs” should leave the country.
Malaysia’s identity politics has triggered a competition among political parties, non-government organisations, and political elites to be the biggest champion of Malay rights and special privileges, which are enshrined in the constitution and accepted and respected by all Malaysians.
It has triggered a race to be a defender of Islam, which is also enshrined in the constitution “as the religion of the Federation”, but other religions are allowed to be practiced in “peace and harmony”.
Malaysians of all races have long respected and accepted the sanctity of Islam, but the rising surge of identity politics has seen the opposition and opposition-linked NGOs accuse the Pakatan Harapan coalition of being anti-Islam in a bid to discredit the government. In government-owned mosques in several states, pro-opposition preachers have been telling their congregation that the government discriminates against Islam, wants to eliminate Islam, and is “liberal,” which is an anathema to conservative Muslims.
https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/11/opinion/malaysian-govt-violates-rights-to-appease-voters/
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/malaysia-s-dangerous-racial-and-religious-trajectory
Umno has teamed up with its one-time arch enemy, the Islamist Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), to contest elections under the banner of Malay rights and Islam.
There are the calls for the boycott of non-Malay products, even halal products produced by non-Malays. It has also seen the proliferation of fake news involving race that has stirred anger and anxiety among segments of the Malay community suffering economic hardship.
Among this is false claims of mainland Chinese being indiscriminately granted citizenship in Malay-majority Malaysia, a story which went viral, causing Malays to feel they are losing out and that the country is about to be taken over by the Chinese.
Another incendiary hoax that circulated recently was a picture of a Chinese-looking man burning the Malaysian flag, angering many Malays who called Malaysian-Chinese people unpatriotic, with some netizens demanding that “Chinese pigs” should leave the country.
Malaysia’s identity politics has triggered a competition among political parties, non-government organisations, and political elites to be the biggest champion of Malay rights and special privileges, which are enshrined in the constitution and accepted and respected by all Malaysians.
It has triggered a race to be a defender of Islam, which is also enshrined in the constitution “as the religion of the Federation”, but other religions are allowed to be practiced in “peace and harmony”.
Malaysians of all races have long respected and accepted the sanctity of Islam, but the rising surge of identity politics has seen the opposition and opposition-linked NGOs accuse the Pakatan Harapan coalition of being anti-Islam in a bid to discredit the government. In government-owned mosques in several states, pro-opposition preachers have been telling their congregation that the government discriminates against Islam, wants to eliminate Islam, and is “liberal,” which is an anathema to conservative Muslims.
https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/11/opinion/malaysian-govt-violates-rights-to-appease-voters/
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/malaysia-s-dangerous-racial-and-religious-trajectory
