Malaysia has just welcomed a new Prime Minister: 92-year-old Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
One of Mohamad’s first statements was a vow to “continue” to “safeguard Islam.” He said:
We will establish a Government that upholds the laws and the Constitution of the country and we will not do anything contrary to Islam.
He also gave the assurance…..
there would be no discrimination against any other religion in line with the demand of Islam that gave preference to justice.
The two promises are incompatible. Not to discriminate against infidels and fully to recognize religious pluralism will require Mohamad to abandon Islamic law and a constitution based on Islam.
Already the Ahmadis, “not recognized by mainstream Muslim scholars,” are complaining:
Indrawan Ahmad, a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamat Malaysia…..said it was time to take Malaysia out of its “religious cocoon”.He said one problem with Malaysia’s Islamic administration was the dominance of Muslim scholars who are influenced by Wahhabi doctrine….harsh and forceful.”
Malaysia has become increasingly strict in its application of Sharia. In February, Malaysian police detained a popular Chinese rapper over “complaints that his latest music video featuring dancers wearing dog masks and performing ‘obscene’ moves insulted Islam and could hurt racial harmony.” Then a publisher was dragged to court for publishing a book by Irshad Manji for “confusing content that allegedly went against Islamic teachings.” An annual beer festival was also banned because it was “politically insensitive,” although police told the public that it was banned out of fear of a jihadi attack.
“Government will continue to safeguard Islam,” The Edge Markets, June 4, 2018:
PUTRAJAYA (June 4): Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today dismissed as untrue any view that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Government will not safeguard Islam.
He said this was because Islam was the official religion of the country embodied in the Federal Constitution and the government would continue to be responsible in administrating the country without doing anything contrary to Islamic teachings.
“We know that there are many who claim that they supposedly protect Islam but we find that their actions are contrary to Islam.
“We will not hesitate to administer in accordance with Islam and will prove why their policies and stance are not in accordance with the true Islam.
“We will establish a Government that upholds the laws and the Constitution of the country and we will not do anything contrary to Islam,” he said in his speech at the breaking-of-fast of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) here.
Dr Mahathir, who is chairman of Bersatu, said the concept of such an administration could be easily accepted by other communities and religions because the government upheld the true teachings of Islam.
The Prime Minister also gave the assurance that there would be no discrimination against any other religion in line with the demand of Islam that gave preference to justice.
“Therefore, Insya-Allah (God willing), we will restore our country. We have identified ways to reduce the country’s debt so as not to burden people in the future,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said he did not expect PH to achieve an outstanding victory in the 14th general election, and described it as an outcome of the people’s support.
He said the people should be grateful that the transition of power took place smoothly without any crisis or riots, which could serve as an example for other nations.
Dr Mahathir said the transition of power in many developing countries, particularly Islamic nations, had occurred in a tense environment with riots and the victors had been unable to form a Government and carry on with their administration….