Is it really about ‘bangsa dan agama’?

Or has Icerd been turned into an issue because it is politically expedient to do so?

YESTERDAY, the national focus was on the rally against the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Icerd) in Kuala Lumpur. But perhaps we are missing the forest for the trees.

Over ice latte and coffee (no straw and no sugar) in a cafe in Petaling Jaya, a political observer painted the big picture for me.

“What is the anti-Icerd movement?” said the man who has close ties to the Pakatan Harapan government.

“It is championing bangsa dan agama (race and religion). The movement is organised by two political parties that lost heavily and unexpectedly in GE14. They are adrift. So they cling to the only things they have, which are religion and race.”

He echoed the views of political researcher and former Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Assoc Prof Abdul Latiff Mohd Ibrahim.

Two days before my meeting with the political observer, I had teh tarik (with sugar and straw) and plain roti canai with Abdul Latiff in a mamak shop in Kuala Lumpur.

Umno and PAS assert that Icerd contravenes Article 153 in the Federal Constitution, which upholds Malay privileges.

Abdul Latiff, however, argued that the two political parties were against Icerd for other political reasons.

“I have said in the past, how can PAS talk of ‘defending Islam’ when they work with Umno, which was dethroned at the last election mainly for being corrupt?” he said.

“Is corruption and Islam compatible? But because of narrow political interests, PAS is willing to work on everything with Umno despite this.”

He continued: “They have no choice but to exploit issues like Icerd ratification because that is their political capital.

“They will lose influence if they do not exploit an issue like this to the maximum,” he said.

Umno and PAS, Abdul Latiff argued, must have decided that the best option to retain some level of support among Malays and Muslims is to show that they are working for a common Malay-Muslim agenda.

“Hence, issues that hinge on race and religion will be played up and both parties will want to show Malays and Muslims that they should support this ‘unity’ between Umno and PAS,” he said.

“All the other issues of Umno corruption and mismanagement will be forgotten and replaced by this show of ‘Malay/Muslim unity’.”

While I agree that there are politicians playing the racial card, I also feel the fear that Icerd might erode bumiputra rights is genuine. And I related to him a pleasantly-written e-mail in response to my article that Icerd is a bogeyman. (“The bogeyman isn’t our enemy”, One Man’s Meat, Nov 24; online at tinyurl. com/star-icerd.)

“I am a Muslim Malay and I can say that Icerd is a real concern to us. Of course, PAS and Umno might be using the issue for their self-interest. The voices are not just Umno and PAS. Maybe they are the loudest. It is a real concern especially when the ‘spokesperson’ for Icerd is Senator Waytha Moorthy who has told the whole world about how bad Malaysia is, ie forcing Hindus to convert.”

Abdul Latiff, however, has a different point of view: “Is it really an issue among the Malays? It has been made to appear so. Being ignorant is the most rewarding trait for Umno and PAS politicians. It is easier to exploit the ignorant,” he said.

“In the first place, who has taken the pains to peruse the document? Have they read how some other countries have ratified it with reservations? Have they read all the clauses/ principles of the document to conclude that it does not affect our Constitution or at least allows us to preserve what we have in our Constitution?”

Obviously, he argued, Icerd was only turned into an issue affecting Malays because it was politically expedient to do so for Umno and PAS.

The political observer said Pakatan couldn’t counter Umno and PAS specifically on this narrow ground. PH – because of its nature and election promises – had to demonstrate that it cared for all Malaysians without Malays losing their rights, he said.

PH should point out to the Malays that the institutions set up by Umno were the ones betraying them, the political observer said. “Your rights were not affected by the non-Malays, they were stolen by your leaders. These are the same leaders who are now talking about bangsa dan agama,” he said.

However, he said, the Pakatan government cannot articulate this, as it is still stuck in the Opposition mindset. Pakatan has to mitigate the concerns and fears of the Malays as a majority of that community’s votes went to Umno and PAS, the political observer said.

“The reality of politics is numbers. The number is 70% of Malays voted for Umno and PAS,” he said.

At the same time, he said the PH government could have handled better the criticisms and brickbats of the chattering class sitting in their Bangsar bubble.

“PH should tell them to back off as it needs time to breathe. The chattering class drinks cafe latte in Bangsar and thinks that is the world. If they go out there, it is a different world,” he said.

Abdul Latiff, however, thought that the PH government responded quite well by deciding not to ratify the United Nations convention.

“At this point of time when hysteria rules, one would be advised to remain cool and observe what these people will do,” he said.

But, he said, PH needs to strategise fast to put things into perspective and stem the irrational attempts to use race and religion to bring down the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamadled government.

The political observer said the situation now calls for a very deft combination of steel and silk.

“Dr Mahathir is the steel as he is in the government and he can use its power. Anwar is the silk as he has political charm and instinct. He also plays a non-governmental role,” he said.

“What is important is for the two political leaders to sit down and define their respective roles so that there is total trust between them. And then they can set out to work.”

It is time for steel and silk to shake the “bangsa dan agama” tree.