With no proper minister, can racial harmony stay on PH's agenda?

With no proper minister, can racial harmony stay on PH's agenda?  

REUTERS

Malaysian youths wave national flags during National Day celebrations. Analysts say Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s exclusion of a full minister to overlook racial and religious harmony could stall ongoing efforts to foster national unity.

Published10 JULY, 2018

UPDATED 10 JULY, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s exclusion of a full minister to overlook racial and religious harmony could stall ongoing efforts to foster national unity, say analysts.

The four-party Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in its election manifesto had proposed to establish a Majlis Perundingan Keharmonian Rakyat (Consultative Council for People’s Harmony), which had raised hopes that the new administration would revive the campaign to foster genuine integration after decades under Barisan Nasional (BN) left the nation divided along communal lines.

It is stated that the Council would, among other things, “research and suggest policies and programmes that will enhance unity and integration and eliminate discrimination from our culture.”

But observers have been left baffled after Dr Mahathir designated the national unity and social wellbeing portfolio to a mere deputy minister instead of a full minister, which they said have made some question if his government was taking national reconciliation seriously.

“National unity is most critical especially inter-religious and ethnic harmony, including integration with Sabah and Sarawak,” said Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's (UKM) Dr Denison Jayasooria.

“Not announcing a minister is not too good. There must be a strong one at the centre...  there is a definite need for minister. Now only a deputy? Who does he report too?”

Dr Mahathir unveiled his remaining full Cabinet lineup last Monday (July 2), naming Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s Md Rafid Md Rafik as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of national unity and social wellbeing.

Amanah’s Mujahid Yusof Rawa was named Minister in the Prime Minister Department in charge of religious affairs, but it is unclear if his scope of job would include matters related to racial unity or integration with Sabah and Sarawak, as noted by Dr Jayasooria.

Some also believe the lack of clarity around Mr Mujahid’s designation could limit the interpretation of his job scope to just Islamic affairs, although the Amanah vice-president did say in an interview with Malay Mail last week that he aims to use his position to push for inter-faith dialogue.

Sarawak-based political analyst Associate Professor Faisal Hazis said PH’s failure to name a full minister to oversee integration may frustrate some segments in East Malaysia, where anti-peninsula sentiment has grown strong in recent years.

UNITY A STILLBORN

But the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer also believes the new administration could salvage the shortcoming and turn it around to its advantage if Mr Mujahid’s job scope goes beyond Islamic affairs and if the minister puts national reconciliation high on his agenda.

Mr Mujahid already has a sterling track record on interfaith initiatives, Assoc Prof Faisal noted further.

“We thought that this government is building a new Malaysia and if you want to do so, need to look at all religion and not only focusing on Islam. But having said that, Mujahid is a good inclusion because he is very inclusive and has been actively involved in inter-religious dialogue,” Assoc Prof Faisal told Malay Mail.

“I thought he could have been made in charge of religious affairs and unity...but let’s give this government room to prove itself and hopefully the portfolio is not only tasked to look at Islamic affairs alone, it could be seen in relation to other religion as well.”

Regardless, critics say they have valid reasons to worry or doubt PH’s seriousness about national integration.

The forerunner of PH, the four-party Opposition coalition called Barisan Alternatif, had proposed a similar entity on April 2, 2001 called Majlis Perundingan Perpaduan Nasional (National Unity Consultative Council or MPPN), public intellectual Dr Chandra Muzaffar noted in a letter penned on the subject and published by the press just last month.

Yet the MPPN, which would have formulated ideas on unity and was envisaged as an independent body that would be directly answerable to Parliament, was a stillborn.

Dr Chandra also noted that two of the four parties that endorsed the MPPN are now part of PH. Yet three out of the four parties from the coalition appeal to ethnic constituencies, downplayed ethnic issues during the election campaign, and instead highlighted the alleged kleptocracy of then Prime Minister Najib Razak, especially in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

“Exposing elite corruption and espousing integrity are political postures which have a huge impact upon the electorate regardless of ethnicity and religion,” Dr Chandra, also among detractors critical about the absence of a unity minister, said in the letter.

“But good governance alone is not enough to create a harmonious society. Issues of identity are at the core of most multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies. Malaysian identity, for instance, can be a divisive issue.”

CONSERVATIVE BACKLASH

But others have argued that Dr Mahathir may have had political considerations to make, and that putting less emphasis on religious or racial reconciliation — which would entail addressing thorny issues like dismantling Bumiputera privileges — could allay fear among conservative Malays that the new government is abandoning their interests.

Only a third of the country’s ethnic majority, the Malays, voted for PH in the 14th general election, with the rest going to conservative pro-Bumiputera and pro-Islam parties United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS).

“This government is grappling with reform with the old system but they also have to balance the fear of the conservative Malay voters as well,” Assoc Prof Faisal said.

“Like what we see in the last general elections, only a third of them voted for PH and majority did not vote for the coalition and if they want to think of serious reform, they need to look beyond one term...so they need to assure and convince the Malays despite their push for reform, it is not at the expense of Malay rights and interests.” MALAY MAIL