Asia Times: Malaysia: talk of 'Islamic state' causes jitters



	November 17, 1999	atimes.com

Southeast Asia

Talk of 'Islamic state' causes Malaysian jitters
By R Mageswary

KELANTAN, Malaysia - As in other places in mainly Muslim Malaysia, women here are modestly attired in the traditional ''baju kurung'', a long tunic worn over a skirt that reaches the ankle, and use headscarves. Unlike other Islamic countries, the colors they wear are gay, bright ones, often with tropical, multi-colored prints.

But in the only Malaysian state held by the Islamic party PAS, supermarkets have different cash counters for men and women. The measure aims to prevent the sexes from mingling, but then again, men and women sit together on buses.

Indeed, simple descriptions of Kelantan, a 12-hour drive northeast of the capital Kuala Lumpur, do not come easily. The opposition PAS aims to create an Islamic state in Malaysia, which has a secular government and whose constitution guarantees freedom of religion to its multi-ethnic population of 22 million.

Still, ''there is no problem for the Chinese and the Indians'', says an old man sipping his cold beer in a Chinese restaurant here. ''I have been staying here for many years and have not encountered any problems. People seem to be afraid because they do not understand and maybe have never come to Kelantan,'' says lawyer Manjit Singh. Rules like an alcohol ban are imposed on Muslims, but not non-Muslims.

Other rules are more widely-felt: there are no bars in Kelantan, which a few years ago barred beauty contests and bodybuilding competitions. PAS leaders have also banned Dikir Barat, a traditional Malay art form where men and women sing and clap their hands to music while swinging to the rhythm, as too sensual for comfort.

PAS, part of an opposition coalition that includes the multi-ethnic Democratic Action Party and the National Justice Party led by the wife of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, governed Kelantan from 1959 to 1978, and has again since 1990. It had eight seats in the 193-seat federal parliament, just dissolved for elections. Critics say the party cannot gain control of the government, much less change the constitution, even if it gains more seats in the November 29 general election.

When the opposition coalition unveiled its manifesto on October 24, it was notably silent on the issue of religion. PAS's constitution calls for an Islamic state, an idea opposed by other opposition politicians, especially the DAP whose leaders say secularism is best for a multiracial country like Malaysia.

Opposition figures were even more upset when PAS head Nik Aziz Nik Mat was quoted as saying that the omission of an Islamic state in the manifesto ''does not mean a thing''.

''Based on their manifesto, we cannot say if the political parties of the opposition coalition have worked out an arrangement where the demand for an Islamic state is concerned,'' says political analyst K S Balakrishnan.

Nik Aziz's statement that all vice would be eradicated if all Malaysian Chinese converted to Islam created a furore, drawing fire for being ''intolerant''.

PAS has also said it would not give up on seeking an Islamic state. PAS members of parliament continue to try to table bills restricting the propagation of religions other than Islam, or seeking to make apostasy a capital offense for Muslims. The bills have been rejected as ''unacceptable, undemocratic and unconstitutional'' by the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism.

Political analysts say calls for an Islamic state could jeopardize the party's chances in the elections. On the opposition manifesto's silence on an Islamic state, Aziz said: ''Everyone knows we are an Islamic party. Our policy is based on Islam. But in order to get closer to the non-Muslims and to topple a cruel government, we agreed to drop our demand.''

''If we become the federal government we would enact hudud law for the Muslims, as they would understand that this law comes from Allah. The non-Muslims would be free to choose between the English law or the Islamic law,'' said Nik Aziz. Under 'hudud' law, also used in Saudi Arabia and Iran, a thief would have his hands cut off and a woman could be stoned to death for adultery.

Malaysia's present religious laws punish 'khalwat' or close promixity: being alone with an unrelated member of the opposite sex. Offenses are common; offenders normally get fined up to 700 ringgit (US$184).

Over the decades, Malaysia's largely moderate, cosmopolitan style of Islam has been seen by many outsiders as one of its strengths and a factor behind its development. In the last year or so, attention has again been focused on the issue given the high-profile of Islamic morality in politics with legal action against Anwar Ibrahim, now on trial for sodomy.

Anwar was convicted on corruption charges last year, though he says he is a victim of political conspiracy. In September, a key witness for Anwar was convicted and fined for sexual offenses under Islamic law. Anwar's brother was arrested for 'khalwat' recently.

(Inter Press Service)

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©1999 Asia Times Online Co., Ltd.