Being distracted by petty politics like the uproar over a beer festival and a recent dog-patting event could cost Malaysia in terms of regional competitiveness, a Bloomberg columnist says.

Most urgently, columnist William Pesek said that Malaysia could soon fall behind Indonesia, which looks set to grow rapidly under the much celebrated new president Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

According to Pesek, while Jokowi faces an uphill climb himself, his meteoric rise signifies that Indonesia favours meritocracy and competition.

In contrast, Malaysia, which is "technically secular", is seen as using religion to wield power as it deals with urgings to ban Oktoberfest and whether Muslims should be allowed to touch dogs.

"Malaysia's failings are especially frustrating because they are so unnecessary," he said.

He said that instead of being "bogged down by side issues", Malaysia must urgently dismantle barriers to competition.

This includes affirmative action favouring ethnic Malays and state subsidies for corporations.

"Malaysians should remember that globalisation enables all economies to grow quickly.

"If their country refuses to open up and become a true meritocracy — the kind of place where a figure like Jokowi could come to power through the ballot box — neighbours like Indonesia and the Philippines will steal away investment and industries.

"Then the problems they're focusing on today won't seem so large," he said.

A rehash of 1937

 

On a related matter, the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) said the debate over the 'I Want To Touch A Dog' event last Sunday is a rehash of what had happened in Kelantan in 1937.

However, Abim president Amidi Abdul Manan (left) said clerics and scholars with differing views then discussed the issue in a civil manner, with the palace playing mediator.

"In the end, none of Nik Abdullah's family kept dogs and the Malay community remained as it was. The polemic was therefore useless and didn't bring any change to society.

"At the same time, the Malay ulamas did not label Nik Abdullah or his father Wan Musa as liberal for having a different view on Islamic jurisprudence," he said.

The debate was sparked in 1936 when the Kelantan sultan sought young ulama Nik Abdullah Wan Musa's view on whether he could keep a dog as a pet.

Nik Abdullah advised that this is allowed for security reasons and presented the differing view of the Maliki and Shafie school of thought on dog's saliva.

He advised the sultan that when there are differing views among the schools of thought, Muslims can choose to adhere to either view.

This was contradicted by the then mufti sparking a debate.   

Several discussions were held following this, and a picture of the scholars with a dog at one of the discussions is now circulated online as part of the recent debate.  

"If a debate is stemmed from confusion, ignorance or misinterpretation, then it is best to educate and explain, not to jeer or make hurtful remarks.

"Let us return to the basis of dakwah (preaching to goodness) and let us make Malaysia prosper through dakwah ," Amidi said.

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