No discrimination please, we’re Muarians!

It was a shock to the locals when a Muslims-only sign sprouted in what they had seen as the bastion of racial harmony.

OF all towns, it happened in Muar, whose inhabitants always pride themselves on being open-minded and tolerant. Muar has always been a poster boy of diversity and acceptance.

It is one of the earliest developed districts in Johor and the birthplace of many distinguished Malaysians and even Singaporeans. Muarians (as they call themselves) are proud people.

And they have reasons to be so. This town is replete with history and tradition.

There are few places in the country where one can eat satay in the morning. “Muar people” do that.

And another unique thing about these satay, mi bandung and soto outlets is that many are located in Chinese coffee shops. The best mi bandung and soto at Jalan Abdullah is in a Hailam shop, so too the best place for satay in the morning, which is situated opposite the TNB office.

You want to talk about racial harmony? Talk to Muarians.

They know what they are talking about. The idea of Bangsa Johor is very much accepted with open hearts here. Just enter the town from the old bridge spanning the historic river, and you will see how the notion is defined on a wall.

Make no mistake, Bangsa Johor is less about jingoism and more about accepting differences.

So, when someone came out with a Muslims-Only notice for his launderette, Muarians were shocked. The news reverberated beyond the bustling little town.

“This is not us,” someone wrote in social media. “We are not racist!” wrote another.

“This is blatant disregard of respect and decorum,” a friend texted me. Muar suddenly is judged in a negative light. This is not the Muar that they knew.

The owner of the launderette has the audacity to say he was just trying to be a good Muslim. Perhaps there are many like him who believe that others matter little.

Sensitivity could go down the drain. Islam, as argued by many scholars, was never meant to be “difficult” or “frightening”.

But there are those who are complicating matters; there are decrees by some preachers that border on ridiculousness.

Words like “cleanliness” and “purity” are being thrown around

This is Johor, which belongs to Bangsa Johor, and it belongs to all races and faiths.

Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar

indiscriminately. If one can’t share a washing machine with a non-Muslim, I fear that one day someone will suggest Muslims should wear gloves when handling bank notes.

Johor has another strength in the form of its religious education. Johor religious schools have helped define the “Johor character”, which embraces the idea of a balanced individual, one who welcomes both secular education and the sacred.

Thank God, His Majesty the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, made a strong stand on the issue.

“I cannot accept this nonsense,” he was reported as saying in this newspaper. “This is Johor, which belongs to Bangsa Johor and it belongs to all races and faiths.”

He has been consistent on that. He has chastised those who wanted to be moral policemen in his state. He reprimanded a government department for coming out with an unreasonable dress code for its premises.

When politicians hesitate, the Sultan is there to say what he believes is right. He is, after all, the Head of Islam in the state.

He regards the action as totally unacceptable and extremist in nature. Even the Cabinet chipped in soon after, taking the stand that extremism in the country will not be condoned. A narrow interpretation of Islam is contrary to the idea of nurturing a united, moderate and tolerant society.

Take heed of the Sultan’s warning. Johor is not a Taliban state.

And Malaysia shouldn’t be one or heading towards one. But intolerance is surfacing in many forms in this country now.

A certain state has been trying to convince us that we have nothing to fear about syariah laws. But when a young man was hauled up by its religious officer for wearing shorts to play futsal, we have reasons to worry.

There are groups campaigning in a particular housing estate to ensure the residents comply to certain rules. (A syariah-compliant neighbourhood?).

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia was right in coming out with the statement that it “strongly counselled” the Government to check the drift towards religious extremism. It was relating to detention of a Turkish author by the Federal Territory Religious Department (Jawi).

Again, the deeds of the few should not tarnish the name of many. But sadly, the tyranny of the silent majority is allowing intolerance to flourish.

Like the Sultan, we have reasons to be concerned.