No compromise with terrorism

comment The nation is facing a time of trial. Not because of the attacks on churches, but because some quarters are testing the waters to see if terrorism works.

If terrorism is ‘effective’, then we will get not peace but more chaos. Anyone will now be tempted to use violence and terrorism to seek a favourable outcome in any dispute.

God forbid that either Kuala Lumpur, Kuching or Kota Kinabalu becomes another Ambon or Pattani.

Malaysiakini reported that the Council of Justices of Peace Malaysia in Sabah (CJPM) is secretly lobbying the Catholic Church to seek a compromise with the Home Ministry.

The idea is that the word ‘Allah’ can only be used in the East Malaysian edition of the Herald but not in the Peninsula edition, notwithstanding the use of the Malay language in prayer, service, worship and the Bible.

Under this deal, Sabahans and Sarawakians in Peninsular Malaysia will still be allowed to buy the East Malaysian edition of Herald.

If true, the unscrupulous proposal, disguised as pragmatism, is a shameless betrayal of rule of law. If true, the CJPM has brought shame to both the words ‘justice’ and ‘peace’ for there is no permanent peace in the face of injustice.

Malaysians united against violence

Let us put things in perspective. The arsons, like the cow-head protest, have not divided Malaysia along ethno-religious lines as some politicians would like to scare us into believing so.

Mainstream Muslim leaders on both sides of the political divide have denounced the terrorist acts as un-Islamic. There has not been any retaliation affiliated to the Christian community which has demonstrated admirable grace and magnanimity in such a difficult time.

Over 120 civil society groups from various faiths and sectors have joined forces in less than 24 hours to categorically condemn violence and defend peace.

If anything, Malaysians have been more united after the arson.

We believe in peace, freedom and reason. We want no political violence in our public life, let alone attacks of places of worship. An attack of one faith is seen as an attack on all faiths.

Only two fringe elements are against us, the reasonable Malaysians. The first group is the cowardly arsonists and their secret supporters who dare not even claim responsibility of their barbaric acts, like standard terrorists would.

Their propagandists may portray them as defenders of Islam but mainstream Muslims would instead see them as an enemy of Islam who goes against Quranic teaching to bring shame to the faith.

The second group is authoritarian politicians who cannot wait to use the arsons to advocate a return to authoritarianism or to resurrect the discredited ISA.

They want to spread the climate of fear that Malaysians cannot interact and settle differences as civilised persons.

Like the terrorists, they want us to live in fear, be ruled by violence and fear freedom.

The fringe terrorists and authoritarians cannot be more wrong. Even on the substantial issue, the division is not along ethno-religious lines.

While the opponents of the High Court ruling over the use of Allah are predominantly Muslim (echoed by pockets of non-Muslims, most of whom do not use the Malay language and 'Allah' in their prayer and would generously sign away others' interests), the supporters are unquestionably multi-religious, including prominent Muslims from a former state Mufti to a menteri besar.

Attack on one faith is attack of all faiths

The most important issue here is therefore not the use of 'Allah', but that some try to set His houses of worship on fire in his name. The attack on one faith is indeed an attack of all faiths.

As the civil society’s joint statement aptly put it, “such violence however must not be seen as a communal conflict of Muslims and Christians. It is as much an affront to Islam and to all religions as it is to the Christians."

With the public not rushing to stock up on food,  the calm speaks volumes that Malaysia has come of age and will not be pushed into another May 13. Anyone who runs amok or starts a riot is a terrorist, not a communal hero.

Therefore, the reported CJPM proposal to concede to violence is not only going against the rule of law, justice, and peace, but also deeply divisive.

Whether or not the proposers are aware of the consequences, they are attempting to tear down a multi-faith front that is brought together by a common rejection of violence and a belief in peace, freedom and reason.

The ill-thought proposal will also unwittingly associate the government and the people of Malaysia with terrorism.

What would the world think about Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein Onn if the arsons immediately stop after a secretly-negotiated deal between the Home Ministry and the Catholic Church?

Would the world not think that Malaysia accepts terrorism as a legitimate way of political settlement? Would that not bring more damage to Malaysia’s foreign direct investment and tourism?

“The road to hell is often paved with good intentions.” Anyone contemplating to pacify terrorism via negotiation only needs to look at Somalia. The ransoms paid to the pirates have allowed the pirates to expand and commit more terror on sea.

Today, if we believe that we can put off the fire by pawning justice and freedom, we are ushering in not long-term peace but more arson in the future. Malaysia will soon be the heaven of political pirates.

Thomas Jefferson aptly warned us: "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

When British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain forced Czechoslovakia to concede the German-speaking province of Sudetenland to Nazi Germany in 1938, he thought he was winning ‘peace for our time’.

Little did he know that his appeasement policy only emboldened Hilter and London was soon bombed as the price of his unprincipled compromise.

After the ongoing arson, the over-riding issue before Malaysia is not the ‘Allah’ controversy, but terrorism. Malaysians from all political persuasions must unite under the banner of peace, freedom and reason.

We must embark on interfaith dialogues in an open and free manner. We must strive for greater mutual understanding and seek common grounds.

Above all, we must believe in the rule of law and protect the due process from political or militant intimidation. We must also give greater support to the Herald and the Catholic Church at this trying time as they must have come under tremendous pressures.

Home-grown terrorism must be nipped in the bud by unconditionally delegitimising any form of ethno-religious violence.

To do otherwise is to surrender this country to terrorism and terrorists.
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WONG CHIN HUAT is a political scientist by training and journalism lecturer by trade. He believes that ‘Allah’ is now uniting all Malaysians who love peace, freedom and reason in a jihad against terrorism and bigotry.