Reforms pushed by govt rooted in Islamic tradition, Hadi told

Bersih’s Faisal Abdul Aziz points out that these reforms revolve around values like trust, justice, and ethical governance.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has been criticised for claiming that the reforms introduced by the Madani government had been imported from the West. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 An activist has dismissed a claim by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang that reforms implemented by the Pakatan Harapan-led unity government have been “imported” from the West.

Faisal Abdul Aziz, chairman of electoral reform group Bersih, said the reforms pushed by the federal government are, in fact, rooted in Islamic tradition given the fact that they revolve around values such as trust, justice, and ethical governance.

Faisal Abdul Aziz.

“In Islam, there is a well-known concept of ‘islah’ which advocates change for the betterment of society based on certain guiding principles,” he told FMT. “The changes that ‘islah’ champions include ending corruption and abuse of power.”

On Monday, Hadi criticised the unity government for what he described as “Western-imported” reforms, warning that they would steer Malaysia towards moral and social decline.

He said the reforms, aimed at improving social, political, economic, and religious systems, “remain strongly tied to secular principles based solely on human reasoning, not guided by Allah”.

Faisal said labelling the reforms as a “Western” concept negated the fact that these shared goals of good governance exist in both Islamic and secular administrations.

“It is important for all parties to work together in pushing the implementation of these reforms.”

Judge ideas on justice, not by origin

Prominent Turkish scholar Mustafa Akyol said democracy, though shaped in the West, has been widely adopted by Muslim societies and is compatible with Islamic principles such as “syura” (consultation).

“PAS itself operates within a democratic system, noting that the party exists and gains power through elections,” he pointed out. “It is a Western political system, but a good one, much better than dictatorship.”

Mustafa Akyol.

Akyol also warned against framing reform as a clash between Islam and the West, saying ideas should be judged by whether or not they are just and fair.

“We should not ask where an idea comes from, but whether it serves justice, dignity, and human flourishing.”

He highlighted that the Quran recognises human reasoning as a gift from God, which means that every person and every civilisation, Muslim or non-Muslim, can use reason to determine what is good and right.

Akyol also noted that Muslim societies advanced in the past by learning from other civilisations and should not shut themselves off today.

“The secret of the medieval Islamic Golden Age, which we are proud of today, was that the Muslims were open to sciences and philosophies of all traditions. We need that open-mindedness today as well,” he added. - FMT