Reprimand to Asri's dangerous rhetoric

Malaysiakini

14-05-2025

MP SPEAKS | Malaysia is a nation built on harmony, mutual respect, and shared destiny among its multiracial, multireligious communities.
These principles are not just aspirational, they are foundational to our survival. In this spirit, I express my deep concern and condemnation of the recent public remarks made by Asri Zainul Abidin, the Perlis mufti.
In a widely circulated video, Asri makes several deeply offensive and inflammatory claims. He alleges, among other things, that:
'India kills and rapes Muslim women in Kashmir and in other countries'
'The Modi government is oppressive against Islam'
'Kashmir belongs to Islam, and India is ruling it through military oppression'
Let me be clear: such statements are not only factually distorted - they are reckless, dangerous, and unbecoming of a religious leader holding public office in a diverse country like ours.
Sweeping political attack
Accusing a sovereign, democratic nation of committing mass rape and murder without credible evidence is more than irresponsible but it's inciteful.
India PM Narendra Modi
Such blanket accusations, especially when made publicly by a religious authority, risk stoking religious animosity, encouraging radicalism, and polarising our own Malaysian society.
Millions of Indians, including over 200 million Muslims, coexist within India's democratic framework.
To claim, without nuance or factual support, that the Indian state systematically kills or violates Muslim women is not just a defamation of a nation but a disservice to the global Muslim community that values peace and diplomacy.
Asri's assertion that the government led by PM Narendra Modi is 'zalim terhadap Islam' (oppressive toward Islam) is a sweeping political attack that ignores the complexity of India's legal, political, and social systems.
It is not the place of a Malaysian religious authority to make such judgments, especially when they risk diplomatic fallout and harm Malaysia's Indian-origin communities.
As parliamentarians, we are held to a standard that protects our national unity. Religious leaders should be no different, especially when their words carry influence over thousands.
The Kashmir complexity
Kashmir has been a complex and sensitive matter for decades, involving sovereignty, security, and cross-border conflict.
Asri's claim that 'Kashmir belongs to Islam' grossly oversimplifies a historical issue and promotes a religious ownership narrative that can fuel extremism.
Kashmir
No state or territory 'belongs' to a religion. Sovereignty belongs to its people, and such matters are to be resolved through diplomacy and law, not religious decree.
To use foreign conflicts as a tool to incite emotion or rally support under the banner of religion is an abuse of religious authority and a betrayal of Malaysia's commitment to neutrality and non-interference in international affairs.
Threat to harmony
More dangerously, Asri's words threaten the harmony within our own borders. Malaysia is home to millions of Hindus and Indian-origin citizens who are proud Malaysians.
To propagate narratives that demonise their ancestral homeland or faith creates suspicion and fear in the hearts of ordinary people. It undermines decades of hard work to build trust across communities.
As an MP for Klang, a constituency that thrives on diversity, I know firsthand how fragile and precious our unity is. We must all be guardians of that unity.
At a time when racial and religious sensitivity is at its peak, the National Unity Ministry must not be missing in action. Its silence in the face of such a dangerous public narrative is deeply troubling.
The ministry's duty is not ceremonial, and it must be swift, visible, and proactive in defending interfaith harmony and condemning extremist speech, no matter who it comes from.
If I were the national unity minister, I would have immediately issued a public statement condemning the remarks, initiated an inter-agency meeting with the Islamic Development Department (Jakim), the Home Ministry, and the police, and reached out to affected communities to reassure them that such rhetoric has no place in Malaysia.
Unity cannot be a slogan. It must be an active, courageous commitment in moments of national tension.
I also respectfully call on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, under his Madani government, to take moral and national leadership in addressing this issue.
The Malaysia we believe in cannot tolerate bigotry in religious robes. Anwar must ensure that every voice promoting hate is met with the full force of moderation, truth, and justice.
Equal and prompt accountability
I urge the relevant authorities, including the Home Ministry and Jakim, to take immediate action under the laws that govern hate speech, including Sections 298A and 505(b) of the Penal Code.
This is not about silencing opinion. It is about upholding responsibility, truth, and peace.
I also call on Wisma Putra and the High Commission of India to engage constructively on this matter, to safeguard diplomatic ties and reassure our Indian friends that such statements do not reflect the views of the Malaysian government or its people.
Religious leadership must be grounded in compassion, wisdom, and accountability. We cannot afford to let any pulpit - Islamic, Christian, Hindu - become a podium for prejudice.
We owe it to our children to reject this politics of fear. Let us reaffirm our shared Malaysian identity and resist all attempts to divide us based on race, religion, or false righteousness.
V GANABATIRAU is Klang MP.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.