- British philosopher Bertrand Russell

COMMENT | Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the recent allocation of RM1.9 billion to Islamic affairs is proof that the allegations that DAP is a threat against the Malays and Islam are slander. For decades, the Islamic bureaucracy through its various tributaries has moulded a young now voting polity to despise democratic traditions and norms - believing that doing so makes you a better Muslim.  

In fact, the demonisation of Muslims who do not follow this groupthink is the underlying cause of tension within the Malay community, even more so than the cultural war with the non-Muslim communities. If DAP were really anti-Malay and anti-Islam, this would mean that Penang is governed by a political party which is a threat to the Malay community and Islam but they do so without any sanction from the state - which is supposed to safeguard both.

This would also mean that the royal houses in states where DAP enjoys support are complicit in supporting the anti-Malay and anti-Islam agenda of DAP.

Considering how Umno, for years, had demonised DAP as a threat against the Malay community and Islam, Umno's turnaround is transparently hypocritical. Of course, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s son already confessed that he felt guilty when in Umno, he played the race and religion card against the DAP in an interview in 2018. Here is an excerpt of it:

“Looking at Umno, when there were big issues which we could not address, we would talk about DAP, Chinese chauvinism and how Lim Kit Siang becoming prime minister would destroy Malaysia, that the Malays would disappear, and the mosques can no longer air the azan. “I admit that I too have said such things, in front of a 100 percent Malay audience. Thinking back, I feel guilty and a sense of regret.”

Hence, this idea that DAP is an existential threat to the Malay polity and Islam is complete horse manure. However, what the DAP is, is a threat to secularism. Think about this for a moment. Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, who dons his religious affiliations on his sleeve recently took issue with a PAS religious operative for labelling the party as “kafir”.

Mind you, Rayer’s logic is a little wonky because he claimed how could DAP be “kafir” when they had Malay-Muslim MPs and not because the term “kafir” is dehumanising to any Malaysian.

He said, ”If I don't stand up to defend Bentong, Bangi, Bukit Bendera who are Muslims, who will?”. Indeed. This is the problem right here. Anthony Loke has already said that DAP is secular and that every party in the unity government understands this. PAS and the unity government are against secularism.