Several months ago I wrote that Malaysia already could not justify their use of the slogan "Truly Asia". This view is now confirmed by the latest developments there.
Forget that they represent Asia, the Malaysia Government is now unable to even represent its diverse as a whole society. The rebellion of the Tamil minority is only the tip of the iceberg. He looked below a huge piece of crystallized dissatisfaction and disillusionment, which could lead to the disintegration of society of Malaysia.
Tells the story of Revathi Masoosai, an ethnic Indian, who is being forced to live as a Muslim by the Islamic religious Department in the South of the State of Malacca, later discovered that although she was born of Muslim parents, she had chosen to live as a Hindu.
Malaysia, Islamic law prohibits people born to Muslim families to change one's religion, therefore not only was Revathi arrested by the Department of religion, Islamic and sent for "religious counseling in a rehabilitation center" (which translates into being forced to convert to Islam by the authorities of the State), his 15-month-old daughter was also away from her husband and delivered the Revathi's Muslim mother to arise as a Muslim.
The Malaysia Constitution qualifies only Muslims as "Malaya" (or bumiputera = son of the Earth). Non-Muslims who renounce their ethnic origin. (The true children of the Earth) indigenous peoples who have lived in the country before the introduction of Islam are declared non-indigenous. Thus, 40 per cent of the non-Muslim population of Malaysia are considered as second class citizens by the party ruling UMNO, who defend a policy called Ketuanan Melayu, which claims to Malays (who are classified automatically as Muslims in their identity cards) is the inhabitants originating in Malaysia and deserving of special privileges.
Another interesting story is that of Lina Joy, who is regarded as Malaysia most famous apostate. I understand that she is now seeking asylum abroad.
Lina Joy, who converted to Christianity in 1986, has 15 years tried unsuccessfully to its status as a Muslim is removed from her identity card. She took his case to the Supreme Court, but not of his appeal.
The Court found, in accordance with Islamic law: once a Muslim, always a Muslim. She not can marry legally with her fiance Christian while she is classified as a Muslim. And although a Christian practitioner, all their children of any marriage she enters Malaysia are considered as Muslim, it shall be prohibited to attend a Christian education and when she dies, she will be buried in a Muslim. She and her lawyer have received death threats.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia can very well understand that increasingly is widening the gap between the peoples of Malaysia. Even he can express their understanding. But he cannot alter the decisions of what is understood as Islamic law. Malaysia since its inception, has declared an Islamic State. It must therefore abide by its national commitment.
In fact, there is nothing wrong with the sharia, which often wrongly interpreted as Islamic "law" in the same way that normally interpret the law. I can be wrong, but in my opinion what is termed the law Islamic is a system supposedly based on the sharia, defended by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Now, this assumption is totally at the mercy of the scholars who interpreted Shariah law.
Sharia is a very dynamic way of life. It is based on the Beatitudes and messages of the Koran, the sacred and Holy Scripture and equally blessed acts of the Prophet of Allah. It is the essence of all religions, the religiosity of the religion. It represents everything that is good in human beings, humanity and mankind.
This route is very, very broad - based on the principles of the unity of God, submission to the will of God, charity, self-control and respect which is holy. All these are applied in everyday life. The application is supposed to be as simple as the one advocated by the same Prophet. Religion seeks to help humans in achieving their goals so it is human. It is not complicate our lives.
This type of understanding of sharia makes truly universal Islam and a blessing for the whole universe, not only of our world.
Unfortunately, in the name of sharia, scholars often interpret the Scriptures to satisfy your fantasies and refer to the law. Then they application such laws for each and every one - sometimes with the consent of the State, sometimes without consent.
Once again, I must repeat that this understanding of mine could be wrong. I am not a scholar. But I can clearly see that without a broad understanding, sharia has been used and bad use of so in Malaysia throughout society is on the verge of disintegration.
Our people here, not only the Liberal and moderate so-called as Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, Dawam Raharjo, Djohan Effendy, Ainun Najib (Cak nun), Nurcholish Madjid (Cak Nur) finals and others - but also something conservative, like Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who is still fighting for a letter from Jakarta that makes compulsory for Muslims in the country to adhere to the qanun based on sharia or law - that really believe that the essence of the Islamic sharia has already incorporated in our Constitution and the principles of Pancasila. So are we fighting for?
The implementation of the regional statutes based on certain understandings of sharia has already led to similar reactions of other religious groups such as Christians in Manokwari.
We must understand and understand: Indonesia is not Pakistan, which was born out of religious feelings. Indonesia is also not Malaysia, where Hindus are of Tamil descent and the majority of the Buddhist is of Chinese origin, by which the State can be labeled a group as indigenous, therefore, deserve special treatment; and other non-indigenous groups, therefore, able to do without this treatment.
Here, in Indonesia, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians all are indigenous Indonesian, pribumi or bumiputera. They should be treated equally in all ways.
Not only that, insofar as we are not a religious State, the Government must be firmly groups of our confused brothers who may not be sufficiently aware of our national commitment even before proclaiming the independence of the country.
We are committed to Pancasila as our binding. Our culture is our mother. Without that, we have no identity. It is not surprising, some of us are searching for our roots and identities in China, Arabia, India, even in Western countries. We have forgotten our roots.
Within 50 years of its independence, Malaysia faces the threat of disintegration. You must find its roots in the ancient Malay culture crowning of their society or perish. It's time that Indonesia we learned from failure of Malaysia to be truly Asia, Asia Muslims and Hindus, Christians and Buddhists Asia, asia of all faiths and religions. But above all of Asia Asia culture!
This article also published in the Jakarta Post
Anand Krishna, spiritual writer (http://www.aumkar.org)