Take a page from Dr M, Kuan Yew in PAS-Madani issue

 

 With due respect to Malaysiakini columnist S Thayaparan, I feel he is shooting in all directions and does not even know who his enemy really is in the PAS-Madani issue.

The gist of Thayaparan’s recent piece is that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is no different than PAS in their ideology and political intentions. Nothing can be further than the truth.

Just because Anwar is seen doing a lot of “Islamic” things and making overtures for PAS does not mean anything directly in the world of realpolitik.

Let’s take a page from former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and first Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s history, shall we?

Controlling Islamic narrative

Mahathir recruited Anwar. Why? Was Mahathir smitten with the ideals of the Islamic reform? Those who have read and understood Mahathir know this was merely a political strategy to keep PAS at bay.

Anwar Ibrahim and Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2020

Mahathir knows that PAS was riding on the wave of the Iranian revolution as well as the young Malay Islamists being formed in the UK and the US. I was part of that movement of Islamic reform and resurgence.

I do not think Thayaparan or Sisters in Islam (SIS) would understand the ideals and the politics of it then or even now.

Then, Mahathir set up the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (Istac). Why? Was this again his awakening into Islamic reform?

No. It was his way of controlling the Islamic narrative in his favour. How did Mahathir convince Malays not to join PAS but throw their lot with Umno?

The 80s was the time that I saw the birth of mega mosques with huge domes, tall minarets and expensive budgets. Why did Perdana Putra spot a dome as well as the PM residence? Again, the image of Islamic imperial power and civilisational greatness.

The building of the International Islamic University was Mahathir’s way of being hailed as an Islamic hero in global politics so that the Malays would be in awe of their great leader. Again, the Islamic message.

All of it was just politics of swaying the Malays to Umno and Mahathir. Finally, what happened when Mahathir was secured in his position? He literally “thrashed” Anwar out with a police chief to do the work.

A game of infiltration

Let’s turn the page to Singapore's history. I read in Lee’s “Singapore Story” that for him to kick out the Brits, he had to make friends with the communist Chinese ideologues. Why? Was it because Lee was smitten with the communist mantra? No, of course not.

Lee Kuan Yew

Lee wanted to get their help because these Chinese personalities controlled the Mandarin-speaking Chinese young and old. He also had to force himself to learn and speak Mandarin so that he could get closer to the Chinese people without using an intermediary.

What happened once the Brits were out and Singapore became independent? Lee kicked the Chinese communists out by imprisoning them. That’s politics.

Lee needed to look like a Chinese vernacular person and not the Chinese Western model that he was. Lee needed the influence of the communists to turn the Chinese towards his own Chinese progressive mindset.

Thus, Mahathir wanted to change the Malay mindset from the Islam of PAS to the Islam of Umno. Lee wanted to change the Chinese mindset from the Chinese communist to the Chinese capitalist. Both had to play sandiwara (charade) to their voters and enemies. That is politics.

Columnists who do not understand politics or Islamic reform should reflect on things that they do not and have never experienced.

Writing from the conscience is easy, but writing and practising politics for political change requires many other art forms and war strategies than just shooting at anything that moves. - Mkini

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TAJUDDIN MOHD RASDI is a professor of Islamic architecture at UCSI University.

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