The politics of faith

Let's give Najib and Christians for Peace and Harmony a chance to show they can make a change.

COMMENT

The past eight years or so of Najib’s regime have been depressing to Christians, to say the least. Anti-Christian sentiment has been a near-monthly news item, with arson, protests, smear campaigns and the like being the order of the day. Many of my fellow Christians have expressed frustration, confusion, and sadness over this sordid state of affairs. All they want is peace in going about practising their faith, instead of being accused at every corner of being part of a conspiracy to weaken the faiths of their non-Christian compatriots.

We looked desperately to our Prime Minister for guidance, for him to step up and defend us, or at least to begin the process of reconciliation and healing between the various faiths, and we have looked on in vain as anti-Christian sentiments grew worse and worse. And now, years after the first inklings of those sentiments, Najib has chosen to give his blessing to a new NGO called Christians for Peace and Harmony Malaysia, or CPHM for short, chaired by Wong Kim Kong, the former secretary-general of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship.

A little too late, one supposes, but better late than never.

It’s important to note that CPHM claims it has nothing to do with the government and had only requested for the Prime Minister to officiate its launching. However, many see the NGO as Putrajaya’s attempt to win over the understandably jaded community, and that may not be too far from the truth. However, it is what we have been asking for the longest time, and perhaps we shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth just yet.

Though I maintain my scepticism, I must say that we’re not exactly spoilt for choice. Let’s face it; this is probably as good as we’re going to get in terms of support from the Najib government, considering the highly conservative bent it has become known for. It does, however, represent an olive branch of reconciliation, and everything begins with a first step.

For one, there are credible supporters of the NGO, most notably Lee Min Choon of the Bible Society of Malaysia, who would be forgiven if he had an axe to grind with the government considering the controversy that has been swirling around his organisation over the past few years. If this NGO represents the first line of communication between the Christian community and the Najib administration, then it becomes representation that we desperately need in these trying times.

Not everything has to be about politics, and this is one of those things. The criticism levelled at CPHM is somewhat puzzling, considering the many pleas the community has made for the Prime Minister to show that he cares about our plight. Considering that the NGO has barely gotten its feet off the ground, it does deserve at least a chance to show that it is for real and can help the reconciliation process between the faiths.

More importantly, it is a chance for Najib to show that he is sincere in wanting to see reconciliation and Malaysia to our previous state of peace and harmony. We must see him walk the talk, beginning with whatever extent of involvement with CPHM he chooses to have, because it is well past time that he got around to starting the process of national harmony. Show us your intentions are sincere, Prime Minister, and while I cannot promise that minds will be changed, you will begin to repair your tattered reputation among the Christian community.

Faith and politics make horrible bed mates, but certain quarters, even among the Christian community, still try to wed the two. However, politics cannot be our sole focus here. There is a bigger picture to consider for the sake of our people, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and all the rest. I’m not saying we should give our complete trust to Najib and CPHM just yet, but they deserve a chance to show us they can make a change.

Najib, is it possible for us to just have a little faith, just this once?

Tags: Najib Abdul Razak, Christians for Peace and Harmony Malaysia, Wong Kim Kong, Lee Min Choon, Bible Society of Malaysia