Why defend ‘Allah’?

Mariam Mokhtar

Last week, when three judges in Putrajaya delivered their shameful verdict on the ‘Allah’ debacle, they had three objectives: To confuse. To frighten. To demoralise.

The over-reaction confirms that the ‘Allah’ issue is not about religion but is just a ruse, to control both Malays and non-Malays. With control, comes power. With power, comes the ability to do whatever the ones with the power please.

Attempts to quash the public outrage included a mufti who warned Muslims who criticised the court ruling that they would be considered infidels; the Perkasa leader who wanted the Malay-language Bible to be banned; Malay extremists who told dissatisfied Christians to migrate; and the attorney-general who warned that critics would be charged with contempt of court.

Last year, Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria (left)had instructed non-Muslims to convert to Islam, if they wished to continue to use the word ‘Allah’.

When the rakyat are frightened and demoralised, when Malays are fearful of their faith being compromised, or Christians are unable to practise their faith properly, they will be pessimistic about their future and will become compliant. They will be easier to control.

The three judges are probably part of a carefully crafted plan involving the federal government, Umno Baru, Jakim, Malay extremist NGOs and individual nationalist Malays.

Where is the sincerity in defending the name ‘Allah’, when issues of corruption, murder, power abuse, incest, indiscriminate killings, theft of taxpayers’ money and helping really poor people are swept aside?
This charade exposes the people who want to protect the name ‘Allah’, but are themselves not true Muslims. Would they be transformed into exemplary Muslims if Christians stopped using ‘Allah’? Clothing, praying five times a day and going on an umrah do not produce a good Muslim.

Jakim warned Muslims that the use of ‘Allah’ in the Bible will confuse Muslims, because they would mistake the identity of ‘Allah’ and destroy their own faith.

It would be better for Jakim to seek the resignation of Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for delivering a useless education system to Malays and trying to trick the world into believing that Malaysia has one of the best education systems. If Malays were better educated, they would not be so easily confused, when they read the word ‘Allah’ in the Bible.

If Malays are easily confused, should we blame their teachers, their home environment, the quality of education they receive or the smart pills they consume? These smart pills are currently being sold in national schools and raking in millions of ringgit for a government crony.

An uneducated community is easily manipulated, but young, educated and worldly-wise Malays are increasingly rejecting Umno Baru’s racist rhetoric and discriminatory policies.

Dividing Malay opinion

Overseas students many of whom were Malay government scholars, were recently warned to avoid lectures by opposition politicians.

In the past, this writer has been told that some overseas students were reminded that they would breach the terms of their education contract and risked having their scholarship revoked, if they attended these talks.

Special Branch personnel, who are present at these events, take videos and photographs of the attendees. In some universities, it is alleged that Special Branch officers have enrolled as legitimate mature students to monitor student movements.

Umno Baru wants the students to know that they are dependent on the government for their education, university and living fees, and that in exchange, they must surrender their rights and freedom to choose and think.

Many people have forgotten that in the 70s, the Iranian revolution led to an Islamic revival which swept the world, by surprise. PAS capitalised on the increasing religious trend and attracted Malay votes, which naturally displeased then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In retaliation, Mahathir Islamicised the country, and claimed that only Umno Baru is the true defender of Islam, in an attempt to woo back the Malays who had defected.

The emphasis on Malay voters continues to this day and every trick is used to entice them. Many are convinced that PAS has become more appealing, even to non-Muslim voters, whilst Umno Baru, despite its claim of reform, has become radicalised, because it is power-crazy.

Umno Baru politicians repeatedly say that “Malays need protecting”, but cannot say from what the Malays need protecting. They also accuse opposition parties of being under Chinese domination and control, or Christian influence.

Last month, Muhyiddin attended an event at the University Islam Antarabangsa and gave the university RM100 million a year for research, and to champion true Islamic values in a “fallen world” caused by the corrupting influence of western liberal ideas.

Muhyiddin demanded unity among all Muslims and inadvertently gave a clue to the true reason behind the ‘Allah’ debacle when he said, “Why can’t Umno Baru and PAS work together?”

Muhyiddin knows that the only way that Umno-Baru can maintain power is if the Malays vote them in. For years, many Malays have been gravitating towards the opposition because scandals involving Altantuya Shaariibuu, Scorpene and the National Feedlot Corporation have united them against the corrupt Umno Baru.

In order to break this hold on the Malays, Umno Baru needed a plan that would divide Malay opinion, and so, the ‘Allah’ issue was born.

The debacle did not start in 2007 as many people think, but had its roots in 1986, when it was believed that two letters were sent by the Home Ministry to the Council of Churches Malaysia.

The letter contained a list of 23 prohibited words, not just ‘Allah’. It was alleged that Mahathir issued this directive as part of his Islamicisation drive, and to curtail the freedom of religion for non-Muslims, contrary to the rights which are enshrined in the constitution.

Today, we are led to believe that only the use of the word ‘Allah’ is strictly controlled. Who knows if tomorrow, the rest of Mahathir’s list will be strictly enforced?

One last factor has been deliberately excluded. The debacle is not just about control but is also about fear. The authorities are afraid, because they suspect that many Malays are secretly converting to Christianity. A converted Malay will never vote for Umno.

One person alleges that a Special Branch officer who was sent to snoop on a Christian group, listened to sermons about love, faith, hope and charity, and that after years of surveillance, ended up believing in the message of Christ. It may just be another story, but if true, just shows that racist, inflammatory speeches and violent acts, repel most God-fearing people.

The ‘Allah’ issue will be kept on the back-burner and brought to the boil whenever convenient, to control the voting patterns of the Malays when there is an Umno Baru election, or to control the Christians in the Sabah and Sarawak state elections.

The issue will not go away until Umno Baru falls.