(First posted on Malaysia-Today Sept 2, 2007)
While still savoring the euphoria of the 50th Merdeka celebration, this
thought comes to mind: If I were a non-Muslim Malaysian, I would be
fervently rooting for an Islamic State of Malaysia (ISM). This may sound
irrational, but bear with me as I elaborate.
First and foremost, I would become a hero among Malaysian Muslims. They
are a significant number, in fact the majority at 60 percent. Even those
with the dullest political instinct will readily appreciate that in a
democracy, when the majority treats you as a hero, you are definitely
bound for greater heights.
Second, with 60 percent of the population consumed with religion, it would
leave the other 40 percent who are non-Muslims to service the worldly
needs of the "pious" ones. Imagine the economic bonanza from the
enlarged market and reduced competition!
Third, in an Islamic State, the charging of interests (ribaa) would be
haram (not permissible). Muslims would not be allowed to partake in
economic activities involving the charging of interests. As modern
capitalism is built upon credit (the flip side of loan interests), this
would effectively leave the entire capitalistic market, in particular
finance, to non-Muslims. Again, another bonanza!
Economic Bonanza of An Islamic State
Imagine if I were a banker. I would have to offer interest-free deposits
in deference to Islamic sensitivity. To entice them I would make sure
that my customers would be treated like royalty, offering them
complimentary teh tarik and roti canai every time they make their
deposit. I would also provide space in the lobby for them to pray,
anything to attract them and their interest-free deposits. My marketing
ploy would be: "We keep your money pure and secure!" The bank's
investment returns from the free deposits would more than recoup the
costs of the prayer space as well as the complimentary tea and roti.
I would of course not be able to charge borrowers interests. That should
pose minimal problem as I could recoup by charging up-front
administrative and other fees. Unlike interests where the lender would
have to collect them over the term of the loan, these fees are collected
up-front when the loan is disbursed. That is a big boost to the cash
flow.
Islamic banking is now so lucrative such that even "un-Islamic"
institutions like Citibank and HSBC are rushing to enter the sector.
Rest assured they are doing so not because they are enamored with Islamic
finance principles rather there are hefty profits to be made and a ready
market. Anything with the Islamic imprimatur sells with Muslims!
There are other "minor" advantages to an Islamic state like having the
entire gambling and hospitality industry (they serve alcohol!) in
non-Muslim hands. Now only if the ulamas would make cigarettes haram!
The Muslim world laments the fact that modern finance and banking are in
Jewish hands. That did not happen by accident, the special talent of the
Jewish people, or through the will of God. Rather through the quirks of
history, medieval Christians (like Muslims today) believed that the
charging of interests was sinful. No Christians could partake in such
activities. Consequently by default, those activities fell to the Jews.
Centuries later, they have enhanced their skills.
Today, with enlightened interpretations of the Scriptures through the
works of such reformers as John Calvin, partaking in loans and the
charging of interests are no longer viewed as sinful. On the contrary,
they are seen as legitimate rewards of economic enterprises and as
incentives to save. Now the Christians are also dominant in banking and
finance. Even the Vatican has its own banks.
Equality of Believers
The only differentiating criteria in an Islamic state would be your faith:
believers versus non-believers. Concepts of race, culture, ethnicity, or
nationality are alien in Islam. Thus with ISM, there cannot be
differentiation between Bumiputras and non-Bumiputras. That should warm
the hearts of non-Bumiputras, if the earlier mentioned economic
considerations are not already appealing enough.
Yes, there will be differentiation between Muslims and non-Muslims. It
cannot be too overt or discriminatory, as that would risk the civilized
world's condemnation and consequent economic and other sanctions. Even
Australia and South Africa, despite their much greater resources, could
not sustain their blatantly racist White Australia and Apartheid policies
respectively.
An Islamic state would follow the dictates of the Quran, meaning, meaning
there would be no place for corruption or the Internal Security Act.
Hooray for that!
If non-Muslims were smart enough they would spend their cash not in
bribing corrupt Malay leaders but donating that money to building mosques
and madrasahs. They may not get their contracts or datukship but they
would have earned the even more valuable community's goodwill. The money
used to corrupt the officials and leaders creates no "socially redeeming
value." It would make them even more corrupt; next time around they
would demand even more. Worse, those bribers would end up being viewed
by the masses as enemies of the people; not a good position to be in.
Expanding Chinese Schools
Extending my argument, if ardent advocates of Chinese schools were really
smart, they would recruit teachers from China to teach Islamic Studies in
their schools. Then watch Malay parents flock to enroll their children.
To sweeten the pot, these schools could dedicate a classroom for use as
the community surau, and then have their canteens refrain from serving
pork and other non-halal items. It would not kill those non-Muslim
students to be deprived of their pork-laden snacks at recess; they could
have their fill when they get home. Follow my suggestions and watch PAS
and UMNO outbidding each other in expanding Chinese schools!
Apart from increasing the usage of Mandarin, such moves are also generous
gestures to the community by helping these young Malays become more
employable in the private sector.
The Chinese community could also give bright young Malays scholarships to
study in China. When they return, they would sing heavenly praises of
the Peoples Republic, quite apart from being fluent in Mandarin! Learn
from the colonialists; look at the unabashed Anglophiles among
Malaysians.
With the obsession on religion as a consequent of ISM, Malays would be
flocking to the madrasahs and the Islamic Studies faculties of local
universities. The competition for medical and other professional schools
would thus be significantly reduced.
While Muslim students would have to take extra classes in Quran reading
and hadith recitations to ensure for themselves a slot in heaven,
non-Muslims could spend their time preparing for the USMLE and securing a
position at an American hospital, or studying for their GRE (for graduate
studies) or GMAT (for entry into MBA programs). Or simply enroll in
extra English classes to enhance their marketability.
As a Muslim I wholeheartedly support the concept of an Islamic state.
That should not surprise anyone; that statement however is not meaningful
or even enlightening. It is like asking whether you support law and
order. Of course you do! No one is against the concept; it is the
content that is at issue. There is after all law and order even in North
Korea.
If by an Islamic state we mean one based on the Quranic refrain of,
"Command good and forbid evil," then we - Muslims and non-Muslims alike -
would agree. If on the other hand the Islamic state were to be modeled
along present-day Iran or Taliban Afghanistan, where women are denied
education and the rule of law is what the clergy deems it to be, then
even Muslims would demur.
Judging from the muddled statements from Imam Islam Hadhari Abdullah, even
he does not know exactly what the term Islamic state would entail. Thus I
fail to understand the hysteria among Malaysians over such a nebulous
concept. Those in UMNO and PAS who are supportive of an Islamic state
have yet to define exactly their vision. There is a reason for that;
they do not have a clue!
For Malays, ISM, both the Islam Hadhari variety as well as the PAS
version, would be an unmitigated disaster. It would deeply divide us,
marginalize us economically, and going by the experience of Iran, push us
away from our faith.
Chinese leaders (in the Barisan coalition as well as the opposition) view
with deep consternation Malay leaders' obsession with an Islamic state.
Instead of needlessly worrying about an undefined concept, these Chinese
leaders should instead learn from their rich culture; they should
understand that to every crisis is an opportunity. The current obsession
in Malaysia over the Islamic state is not a crisis, rather a unique, and I
dare say, a potentially highly rewarding opportunity.
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