A city of two tales

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Some of you have probably read ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, the story about the French Revolution. Well, in Malaysia we have ‘A City of Two Tales’, a story about the Malaysian ‘Islamic Revolution’, Islam Hadhari to be exact, and that tale recently happened in the city of Kuala Lumpur.

By now all Malaysians have probably heard about the Federal Territory Religious Department’s raid on a night club and the arrest of 100 Muslims who were patronising the establishment, presumably to drink. I will not waste time by going into detail as it was all over the news so you should know everything you need to know about it. What I want to do is relate the second tale, the untold story, of how double standards are being practiced in Malaysia.

The grossly misunderstood New Economic Policy

Raja Petra Kamarudin

They say there is no future in the past. Tongue-in-cheek, this would be true. But then those who forget history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. Take Hitler as an example. If he had studied Napoleon, he would never have engaged Russia on the one front while he still had the Allied Forces on the other. That was the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. Take Saddam as another example. If he had studied how the Allied Forces tricked Hitler into believing when and where the invasion of Normandy was going to take place, then Iraq would not have been as easily fooled as Hitler was.

In case you do not know what I am talking about, CNN showed extensive footage of the Allied Forces training on how to launch a sea attack on Kuwait (I am referring to the first invasion of Iraq launched by Bush Senior). The whole of Iraq watched the CNN news and the Iraqi forces assemble on the beach waiting for the US-led forces to arrive. Instead, the Allied Forces parachuted inland, behind the Iraqi army camping on Kuwait’s beaches. Saddam’s army was cut in half and that was the end of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.

Politics, religion and the art of marketing

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Last week, I closed down the ISLAMIC DEBATE blog. After tolerating it for a couple of months I have come to the conclusion that the so-called debates are not really debates at all and were doing more harm than good. Malaysians in general just do not know how to debate. Malaysians’ idea of debating is running down your opponent and resorting to name calling.

On Monday, I floated a new article in my MONDAY MORNING BLUES column called ‘I am a Malaysian and you better believe it’. The next day, I floated ‘Islam is wonderful, but I can't stand the Muslims’ in my LOONY MALAYSIA column.

'They acted like thugs'

Raja Petra Kamarudin

KL CLUB RAID BY RELIGIOUS SQUAD

ONE girl could not take it anymore. Her request to go the toilet was refused.

She then relieved herself in her pants.

The young woman had been rounded up along with 100 other Muslim youths from a Kuala Lumpur club recently by the city's religious officers and taken to their headquarters for questioning.

Sunday's Malay Mail reported that the youths claim they were pounced upon, abused and rounded up like juvenile delinquents.

Islam is wonderful, but I can't stand the Muslims

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There is currently a raging debate going on in the MONDAY MORNING BLUES column under the article entitled ‘I am a Malaysian and you better believe it’. Basically, there seems to be two groups opposed to my views on nation building, racial integration, religious tolerance, harmony, consideration, compassion, decency, maturity, intellectual discourse, etiquette (sopan santun) and all those other noble values.

One group seems to think that I am propagating a new manmade and unIslamic concept that is frowned upon by God. The other thinks this is mere idealism and unachievable and that Islam is actually contra to all this. Then there is probably a third group that is either so confused and do not know what the shit we are arguing about or could not care a damn as it is not their problem anyway.

I am a Malaysian and you better believe it

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I pride myself in being a true Malaysian. And there are many reasons why I adopt this most pompous attitude. And this is also why I look down on and treat with utter contempt those who harbour racial tendencies and go around thinking that their race and religion are the best and all others are crap.

I know Muslims have been taught and have been brought up into believing that Islam is the true religion and all others are misguided. True, as a Muslim I too believe in Islam; if not I would not be a Muslim. But this is no excuse to look down on all those of other religions or to insult them in any way. And while I do not tolerate Muslims insulting non-Muslims, I equally do not tolerate it the other way around.

A two-party system

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Is Malaysia ready for a two-party system? Maybe not. But then maybe the more appropriate question would be: can Malaysia afford NOT to have a two-party system? Like it or not, Barisan Nasional (BN) is just too well-entrenched for the smattering of ‘mosquito’ opposition parties to shake it. As Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader Lim Kit Siang likes to say, “The BN hegemony”.

BN has an iron grip on the country and even if the opposition garners 60% of the votes it still cannot knock the ruling party off its perch as 1969 has proven. At worse, the ruling party can still rule with a simple majority. And not having its ‘mandatory’ two-thirds is not a problem unless you want to amend Malaysia’s Constitution and transform Malaysia into an Islamic State. (And we will talk more of this in awhile). Other than that it can be business as usual.

No smoke without fire

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Some accuse Malaysia Today of dabbling in rumours and speculation. Some even question the credibility of Malaysia Today and have boldly declared that I know nothing about journalism.

Well, I have news for you. I am not a journalist and have never had any training as one. So what’s new?

Agreeing to disagree

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The Selangor and Johor muftis are both of the opinion that the recent burning of dead bodies in Aceh is wrong from the Islamic point of view. The Perak mufti and head of the Fatwah Council however share the opposite view.

Who are right and who are wrong? This has been the subject of ‘hot’ debates in the media over the last couple of days.

Islam Hadhari for dummies

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaysia has seen many maxims in its extremely short history as an independent nation. There was Look East, Leadership by Example, Malaysia Inc., etc. Now we have Malaysia Boleh and, of late, Islam Hadhari.

Malaysia Boleh is of course a relic of the previous Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, while Islam Hadhari is an invention of the current Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Is Democracy Islamic?

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Yesterday, Rangkaian Web Marhaen published a most interesting and thought provoking piece in Bahasa Melayu written by Sri Bunian called ISLAMKAH DEMOKRASI? (Is Democracy Islamic?). Amongst what he said was: Democracy is a Greek invention and popularised by the West and it conflicts with Islam. Islam pursues truth whereas Democracy is about respecting the rights of the majority which may not necessarily defend truth.

Sri Bunian then goes on to argue his case quoting examples of (unIslamic) practices in Malaysia plus verses from the Koran that contradict these practices. I shall not repeat what he says in detail but would, however, like to point out that Sri Bunian has raised an extremely interesting issue that has kept the secularists and Islamists locked in battle for centuries.

Putting religion in the correct perspective

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Some Muslims, religious scholars included, are saying that the recent Tsunami tragedy is God’s (Allah’s) punishment for those who have sinned and deviated from His teachings. Others are saying the fact the tragedy was primarily in Sri Lanka and Aceh means this is God’s way of solving the problematic civil wars that have been raging for generations in these two regions -- those of the same race and religion taking each other’s lives.

We of course cannot question God’s logic or question His actions. After all, in the insurance industry, earthquakes, floods, tidal waves (tsunamis), landslides, and such are classified as ‘Acts of God’ -- so even those ‘non-religious’ people still do believe in Acts of God. So I suppose passing the recent tsunami tragedy off as an Act of God would not be wrong. But who are we mortals to analyse God’s action and come to this conclusion on behalf of God? Do we really know what God had planned that we are confident enough to pass judgment -- that the tsunami tragedy is indeed God’s punishment for sinners and deviants?

Faith vs. logic

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I have always argued that logic can be applied to religion and that religion should not be faith (iman) minus logic. But Muslims resent what they view as someone ‘questioning’ Islam. To these people, those who raise questions or arguments are ‘jahil’ (ignorant). They would be branded as heretics and would be advised to go learn about Islam before talking. Anyone who offers counter arguments must be ignorant; he or she cannot be otherwise. And if you do not speak Arabic then you certainly have absolutely no business talking about Islam. You are expected to trust the preachers and agree to what they say without question. And logic definitely cannot be applied to Islam for faith defies all logic. In short, don’t think, just follow.

To kick off 2005, I am going to defend my belief that Islam saw its heydays and became a great and progressive empire when it produced thinkers. We are told that some non-Muslim societies even invited the Muslims to rule them because under an Islamic government they progressed and prospered.

Many a true word is said in jest

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The Malay College Old Boys Association (MCOBA) has been organising Annual Dinners for some decades now. In the beginning, professional artists were engaged to entertain the revellers but it was noticed, the instant they appeared on stage, the ‘Old Boys’ would disappear, leaving their wives to twiddle their thumbs while they impatiently waited for the boring ‘floor show’ to end.

Eventually, the professional shows were replaced with an Old Boys concert and the popularity of the amateur productions led by the likes of Dato Sallehuddin Hashim, Rehman Rashid, Hishamuddin Rais, and those considered ‘out of the mainstream’, changed the ambience of the Annual Dinner that soon the Annual Dinners became known as the Annual Concert.