Intolerance and disrespect prevalent among communities in Malaysia, says Chandra Muzaffar

Chandra Muzaffar (right) stressing that ties between Buddhists and Muslims, the two largest faith communities in the Asean religion, must be strengthened. The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, November 1, 2013.Thirty to 40 years ago, there was greater understanding between the various communities in the country and Malaysians valued the concept of give and take, unlike today’s charged atmosphere where even a small issue can trigger a harsh exchange of words between communities, said political scientist Dr Chandra Muzaffar.

Chandra, who is president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), said intolerance and disrespect between the different communities in Malaysia are very prevalent in the present climate.

He said the values adopted and practised by Malaysians years ago about giving and taking were a distant memory.

"It is very sad to note that nowadays, on every little thing that happens, one party cannot help but comment on it, which provokes a reaction from the other party and the heated exchange goes on unabated," Chandra told The Malaysian Insider on the sidelines of the International Buddhist-Muslim Forum on Peace and Sustainability today.

Citing the refurbishment of the 130-year-old Sri Sundararaja Perumal temple in Klang, Chandra pointed out that it was valid as it was enshrined in the Federal Constitution that religious communities have the freedom to maintain their places of worship.

He said the refurbishment of the Hindu temple in the centre of Klang town does not affect inter-religious ties nor does it harm anyone. He said it should not even be an issue as Malay NGO Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) has made it out to be.

Chandra was commenting on the remarks made by Isma that the refurbishment of the temple would create a negative impression among Muslim tourists who visited Malaysia. He pointed out that the temple refurbishment does not affect anyone.

Other speakers at the forum, held at the Malaysian Institute of Islamic Understanding (IKIM) in Jalan Duta, were IKIM deputy director-general Professor Datin Azizan Baharuddin, Sulak Sivaraksa and Reverend Alan Senauke from International Network of Engaged Buddhists. The moderator was Professor Dr Mohd Hazim Shah Abdul Murad from University Malaya.

During the inter-faith dialogue session, Chandra said one of the greatest failings of the mass media was its failure to report acts of solidarity between different communities. Instead, the mass media stayed true to the adage "Dog bites man, not interesting; man bites dog, that's a story".

Some of the monks attending the forum today. The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, November 1, 2013."The Muslim and Buddhist communities in Southeast Asia are quite evenly balanced. If ties between both communities are strained to breaking point, the Asean community will collapse. The people must decide their futures for themselves and cooperate with each other," he stressed.

"We cannot and must not allow politicians or the military or anyone to determine our future. The ties in the Southeast Asian region depends on the relationship between Buddhists and Muslims,"  he said.

"It is important that we try to understand what is happening not only in Malaysia but around the world. Why is Thailand such a hotbed of inter-religious tension?" he asked, calling on the government to act fairly and firmly when dealing with inter-religious issues.

"The government has a responsibility to look after everyone, regardless of whether they are the minority or majority. The government must be firm and strict with extremists regardless of who they are or where they come from."

Chandra said any fanatical attitudes should be nipped in the bud instead of the executive adopting an elegant or golden silence. He also urged the public not to be misled by the mass media, pointing out that there was now the alternative and social media.

"Inter-religious harmony is only possible if the government and the people are alert to what is happening around them and are prepared to act. I would like to point out that both Buddhism and Islam place a lot of emphasis on restraint," Chandra said, adding it was a precious value which should be brought to the forefront to preserve peace.

"There are many people out there who are extremely unhappy with what they see, read and hear. But they do not dare to voice their unhappiness for fear of being ostracised by their own community," he added.