Isma slams Anwar's 'liberal' views

INTERVIEW Islamic NGO Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (Isma) warns that the liberal views held by Pakatan Rakyat, especially those of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, will turn Malaysia into a "civil country" where race and religion have no place.

This would have a major impact on Malaysia's identity as an Islamic country, which is centred on the majority Malay community, Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman said.

Abdullah said Pakatan and NGOs such as Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (Komas) and Institut Kajian Dasar (IKD) promoted this doctrine "in a planned manner" to influence politicians and the younger generation.

"Anwar has admitted himself to be a liberal democrat activist. Look at his speeches, he supports those ideals.

"Pakatan's Buku Jingga (Orange Book) is based on liberal democracy. If we look at the DAP's agenda, it too is in line with the liberal democratic philosophy," he said in an interview with Malaysiakini.

"(DAP leader) Karpal Singh has said that DAP's partnership with PAS and PKR is based on liberalism and pluralism. It is clear - that is why we see many human rights NGOs hiding behind this."

It will be a "big calamity" for the Malays, he said, if their identity is lost, as the Malays will lose their power and the land that they have had all these years.

Elaborating, Abdullah said the Chinese and Indians already have their own "sovereign land" but at the same time, they want to equally own the land of Malaysia.

"Can the Malays, let's say in China, seek such equal share when they try to own land in China? The Chinese will not give in. Similarly, with the Indians (in India), they will not accept Malay demands for land in their country.

"Unfortunately, the Malays accept (the non-Malays) and in the end, the Malays will lose their political power and sovereignty. We may eventually become passengers in our own country," he warned.

Muslims will lose out

Asked whether the liberal-democratic thinking was also influencing PAS, Abdullah said the Islamic party was trying to accommodate such ideals.
He pointed to the PAS notion of a welfare state, its concept of ‘rahmatan lil'alamin', which refers to equality, and ‘karamah insaniah', which refers to the humanistic concept.

Abdullah said this showed that PAS was trying to put an Islamic underpinning to such concepts.

The Isma president said the ulama faction of the party wanted to see the party remain independent and not be restricted by its political cooperation with the opposition coalition.

However, he said, the Erdogan faction wanted the party to follow Anwar, who is also the PKR de facto leader.

"PAS need not abide to this political cooperation. PAS has certain rights and it should be free to make its own decisions as it involves party policies and the party's dignity.

"I view such a political cooperation would not benefit Islam and would put Muslims at a loss in Malaysia.

"PAS, in its involvement with Pakatan, will only result in the liberal democrats winning," he said, arguing that PAS should quit the opposition coalition.