Must all Malaysians be pro-Hamas, anti-Israel?

 

 I wish to pose this very important and serious question to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his allies in the Madani government.

I’m hopeful for a reply from the ever “caring, helpful and responsible” Madani government, hopefully from its official hotshot information chief, Fahmi Fadzil. I will humbly request a clarification from the communications minister.

My key question is this: Is there an unwritten rule or order somewhere which firmly declares that all Malaysians must support Hamas and denounce Israel? Do we have a choice?

I also wish to see this narrative straightened out. If there are Malaysians who are pro-Israel and make anti-Hamas statements, are they deemed to have committed a “crime”? This is a very disturbing issue which many Malaysians want the government to clarify.

I’m aware that a man was arrested in Johor Bahru last December over his statements supporting diplomatic ties between Malaysia and Israel.

According to the police, the case was being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act, Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for making statements conducing to public mischief. So far, we have not heard of any update regarding the case.

I’m aware this is a controversial subject that many will avoid talking about but I believe this is an issue of great concern to Malaysians, particularly so when we are of different colour, creed and culture.

The stakes could be high if something goes awry in such a delicate setup. Malaysians are supposed to celebrate their “unity in diversity” hallmark and proudly parade it to the world but today, we seem to be drifting further and further apart.

Be peacemakers

Something is just not right somewhere.

I do wonder at times if Malaysians are now pushed to the wall and forced to partake in the Middle East conflict, having to stand with Hamas/Palestinians and praying/hoping/wishing that the Jewish race will be wiped off from the face of the earth.

Let me reiterate my stand as an individual and a Malaysian on this Middle East conflict.

My position, from day one (right from the start of this latest war in early October last year), is this and it has not changed:

If Malaysia really wants to help, let us play the peacemaker role and assist in finding solutions. By taking sides, we become part of the problem.

I find it absurd that Malaysia had also called for a ceasefire later in the conflict and also intended to join the UN peacekeeping force.

The prime minister has declared to the world that Malaysia supports Hamas. Once that stand is taken, who will listen to your ceasefire call which contradicts your earlier support for one side in the conflict? Malaysia should have called for a ceasefire at the very beginning.

I’m also not sure that sending our troops for peacekeeping duties at this stage is a good idea, especially after Malaysia has earned the wrath of powerful allies connected with the conflict.

Don’t be busybodies

Now, allow me to stress some points, as a Sarawakian. I can say for a fact that in general, Sarawakians are poles apart from Malayans on certain issues, particularly those related to racial and religious extremism.

No, Sarawak does not want anything to do with wars and conflicts involving terrorists, violence and deaths abroad.

As far as I’m concerned, the Middle East crisis has nothing to do with us in Sarawak. If two tribes 8,000km away cannot get along and are bent on killing each other with no intention to make peace for decades, we say good luck to them.

Let us not be busybodies and poke our noses into the affairs of others.

I’m not sorry for sounding a little selfish by highlighting the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government’s slogan of “Sarawak First” in this context.

Why, GPS leaders must have good reasons to think of “Sarawak First”, moving forward. It’s our way of telling Malaya, “Enough lah. We have been taken for a ride for too long. Time to help ourselves.”

I have not heard of even one Malay/Muslim leader in Sarawak talking about the conflict as if it were a matter of life and death for Sarawakians. Shall I say that we are more sober and focused on this matter?

No Sarawakian leader commented on the case of the American professor who was deemed to have offended Malaysia with his pro-Israel statements in his lecture at Universiti Malaya.

I like to think that we, Sarawakians, believe that our students in UM and elsewhere are intelligent enough to decipher whatever views or opinions are thrown at them. Allow them the space to think for themselves.

It’s a disturbing phenomenon if our political leaders think that our young people are that paloi (stupid) and that they must always be “guided” by those in power and their bungled policies.

Ever wonder why our education system is in one hell of a mess today?

No to violence

I can agree for Sarawak to send humanitarian aid to the innocent victims of war in Gaza just as we had contributed to those affected by other calamities in different parts of the world in the past. That is the right thing to do but we should know where to draw the line.

I will conclude by stating that I’m very disturbed by our prime minister’s declaration on April 15 that “Malaysia backs Iranian drone attacks on Israel”.

Anwar has described the attack by Iran as a “legitimate act” to the “barbarous” attack by Tel Aviv.

As a Malaysian, I’m worried for my country as it seems that my prime minister has now descended into a warmonger.

I wish to declare that the prime minister does not speak for me, a Malaysian citizen, on this support for the drone attacks. I abhor violence in all its forms and intents.

Somehow, I believe that the majority of Malaysians are sober and realistic in their views about the conflict. Only a section of politicians had gone overboard because Gaza is an extremely popular issue and they know how to cash in politically on the subject.

Let me leave with these words of wisdom:

“For great men, religion is a way of making friends, small people make religion a fighting tool.” - APJ Abdul Kalam, former president of India. - Mkini

---

FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.