“Multiculturalism should not mean that we tolerate another culture’s intolerance. If we do in fact support diversity, women’s rights, and gay rights, then we cannot in good conscience give Islam a free pass on the grounds of multicultural sensitivity.”

- Ayaan Hirsi Ali, ‘Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now’

COMMENT Islam’s obsession with sex (and I am not even going to qualify this statement by saying “Islam in Malaysia” or “PAS’ Islam”) has reared its ugly, horny head again.

When there are political upheavals, in Malaysia, Islamists by design or opportunity attempt to impose their warped morality by using the confusion and chaos, as a cover for more insidious social engineering.

“PAS' proposal to implement public caning against Muslims committing zina (adultery) after Friday prayers” is an example of how religious zealots operate.

Since PAS (by its own admission and action) has succumbed to the PM Najib Abdul Razak regime and now acts as an adversary to their former comrades - DAP and Parti Amanah Negara specifically, but in a sub rosa manner towards PKR - the morally and intellectually bankrupt PAS has to generate controversy or distraction for their Umno brethren.

All this is of course is an old strategy played out by unimaginative political opportunists, in furtherance of Muslim hegemony in a multicultural country. We have seen this before during the Dr Mahathir Mohamad years as premier.

PAS was always willing to play the Islamic boogeyman to terrify non-Muslims into sustaining a so-called ‘moderate’ political alliance, Barisan Nasional.

As I said during the height of PAS’ remarkable rehabilitation during Pakatan Rakyat’s glory days, “What they have not done is to define the middle ground without the aid of their partners. What they have not done is redefine their interpretation of Islam to make PAS an acceptable moderate choice even if they were not in the coalition.

“What PAS should be doing is using this phase of political compromise as a starting point in reforming its ideas, perhaps reconnecting with its own leftist ideology that it abandoned in favour of the Saudi-influenced Islam that has proven disastrous everywhere in the world.

Remaining a dream?

“This is important because as long as Islam plays a role in the political process here in Malaysia and hudud is a card in the deck, the dream of a true multicultural/religious Malaysia will remain just that, a dream.”

Of course, this was not meant to be. The demise of PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and the ascension of Abdul Hadi Awang to presidency, meant that everything wrong with PAS and Islam became the flashpoint for a disillusioned public, wary of Islam.

Malaysians know firsthand the power of Islam to change a community and over the decades, we have seen how this particular religion has been used to further divide us, make us suspicious of each other, but most damagingly, inflicted on the marginalised section of the Malay polity.

The brutality of this form of Islam, the mendacious way in which the lower echelons of Muslim society are subjected to, can be found in numerous incidents that non-Muslim Malaysians observe and are silently thankful that they do not live under the shadow of this religion.

Take for instance the incident, where Papagomo had assaulted that foreign (sic) worker. Here on public display is Islamic hubris and wrath for all to see.

The pro-establishment blogger belongs to a privileged class of Malay-Muslim society. He had assaulted a Muslim man for supposedly making obscene gestures or words on his sister. In the video, the man pleads for leniency using Islam as a shield - but to no avail. The likes of Papagomo understand that they are a protected class. A fine is all he gets.

However, the public humiliation meted out, the public display of a man bullied into submission and submitting to a higher authority, is the subtext to this drama. It was meant for us, those unbelievers who doubt Malay-Muslim supremacy.

The harsh glare of Islam as promulgated by PAS is for the rest of the Malays. Certainly not for the political elites, the well-connected, or those with enough power and influence to bypass collective morality. For these people, Islam is the religion of peace.

Wanita MCA chief Heng Seai Kie claimed that: “Non-Muslims must also be wary that the PAS ulama might be maliciously trying to quietly expand the jurisdiction border of the syariah criminal codes,” which is only half the point.

There is nothing quiet about this. Here is what a businessperson said in relation to what PAS is attempting to do: Shahmimi Abdul Aziz, 30, was also supportive of public caning for zina offenders, adding that it should be carried out nationwide.

"Every state should implement it. Enforcement should also be done on the offenders' non-Muslim partners; the punishment must be fair," Shahmimi noted.

Warped thinking

How a religious punishment can ever be “fair” is beyond me but I do not know about anyone else, I get extremely angry when people have the audacity to assume that I should be punished even though I have not submitted - and never will - to their religious beliefs.

It is this kind of warped thinking that is prevalent from the class most feeling the brunt of Islamic morality as envisages by PAS and the numerous other religious zealots which control public policy and discourse in this country. They want everyone else to suffer with them. To be subjected to the same punishments as them.

Moreover, folks wonder why Malaysia is a breeding ground for Islamic extremism. As I said a couple of months back: “In an environment like this, is it any wonder that confused young men, filled with a sense of superiority and purpose, seek out extremism as a natural extension of their religious beliefs?

“Is it any wonder that they find similarity and welcome in extremist teachings that most rational people would find to be anathema?”

At the height of the Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee sex blogging fiasco, I said, “I am sick and tired of non-Muslims prostrating themselves on the altar of political correctness that more and more smells like political expediency. Every time something like this comes up, especially when it comes to Islam, we have to qualify our dissatisfaction.”

If I had my way, I would charge PAS or anyone else making such proposals with sedition.

S THAYAPARAN is Commander (rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy.