Malaysia must be governed by law, not by excavators

 

LOOK, we are a country of many faiths, with long histories and shared dreams. The only way that balance works is by sticking to one basic, non-negotiable rule: you settle arguments through the law, not through force.

So when a group of people decide to take a backhoe to a house of worship, let’s call it what it is. They aren’t defending the law; they are tearing it down.

Maybe a building has planning issues. That’s a problem for the courts and the local council to sort out. It is not something for anyone to decide to fix themselves. The moment people start thinking, “I’m morally right, so I can just demolish this myself”, the whole idea of law starts to crumble.

A country like ours, with so many different communities, doesn’t survive because everyone agrees all the time. It survives because we have a system—a fair process—to handle those disagreements peacefully.

Our Constitution actually gets this. It says Islam is the religion of the Federation, and it also guarantees freedom of religion for everyone else. These two ideas work together, but only within a legal framework. Take away the framework, and the whole thing falls apart.

To stop this kind of vigilantism, we can’t just say “that was wrong” after it happens. We have to build a system that prevents it.

(Image: AP)

It starts with education. In schools, we need to teach kids what the Constitution actually means in real life. How do land laws work? How is a demolition order even supposed to be issued? Why does all that boring “due process” stuff actually matter?

When people understand the system, they’re less likely to fall for someone yelling on social media that every dispute is some kind of religious war.

We also need better conversations between communities. Local interfaith groups can act as an early warning system. Just having a trusted way to talk to each other can stop a small problem from blowing up. Talking doesn’t mean giving up your beliefs; it means keeping the peace.

The system has to be transparent. If a building is in violation, the authorities need to be clear. Written notices. Reasonable deadlines. A proper way to appeal. When things are done in secret, people get suspicious. And suspicion is what gets people out on the streets.

And then there’s the internet. A rumour posted in the morning can become an angry mob by the afternoon. We need to teach people, in schools and in public campaigns, to stop and think. Check the source. Don’t just react to what makes you angry.

Religious leaders have a massive responsibility here. Every faith in Malaysia teaches about justice and restraint. Imagine if all our religious leaders stood up together and said, clearly and loudly, that violence and destroying property is against the ethics of our faith.

That kind of message can stop things before they start. Staying silent? That can look like you agree.

And finally, the law has to be enforced every single time. When people break the law and nothing happens or it only gets enforced against some people, everyone loses trust. And trust in the system is the only real cure for vigilantism.

If people believe the authorities will handle it fairly, they are far less likely to grab a backhoe and do it themselves.

People say Malaysia’s diversity is fragile. Honestly, it’s been pretty strong. But strong doesn’t mean unbreakable. If we keep letting people get away with taking the law into their own hands, little by little, the whole system gets weaker.

We cannot let ourselves think that passion is an excuse to break the rules. Today it’s a religious building. Tomorrow it could be a business, a school, someone’s home.

The rule of law isn’t just a technicality. It’s the only thing holding this whole experiment in coexistence together.

No one—no matter how right they think they are—has the authority to be judge, jury, and executioner. That’s the job of our legal institutions. Once we cross that line, we stop being a constitutional democracy and start becoming something else.

Our strength isn’t in pretending we’re all the same. It’s in having a lawful way to handle our differences. That takes education, transparency, honest dialogue, and a justice system that everyone can believe in.

Excavators should be used to build things. Not to bury our social trust. It’s a simple choice: a country run by procedures, or a country run by impulses. For Malaysia’s sake, the answer has to be clear. 

 KT Maran is a Focus Malaysia viewer.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT. 

- Focus Malaysia.