Similarities Between Israeli and and Malay politics?
This is the English version of my Malay article in Aliran.
The change in Malay society towards national and religious extremism is still at a low level, and it is hoped that this direction can be curbed.
Aug 28, 2024
By Rosli Omar
When Israel conquered the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem after the 1967 war, and wanted to colonize their inhabitants too, Yeshayahu Leibowitz already knew where Israel was headed. He was a philosopher at the Hebrew University, Israel. For him, it is impossible for Israeli Jews to be democratic and liberal when they do not give the same rights to the Palestinian people – that is, Israel will be a colonial power that oppresses the Palestinian people. The democratic-and-liberal nature and oppression are two contradictory traits. Thus, the democratic and liberal nature, i.e. values of the left, will change to that of oppression, the values of the right-wing, conservative and apartheid.
Thus, Leibowitz opposed the conquest of the West Bank, Jerusalem and others. He was certain that the Jewish community of Israel will become “Judeo-fascist“. How true his prophecy was in 1967! Israel, which was founded under the rule of the secular and left-leaning Labor Party, began to move to the right with religious extremism playing an increasingly important role. The Labour Party and other leftist parties began to lose elections, which were initially replaced by the conservative Likud party. Now, Likud has merged with even more right-wing extremist parties – as well as extremist religious-based parties under the leadership of Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, ministers in the cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of the Likud Party. Under this right-wing, conservative and religious extremist rule, the Palestinian people are increasingly oppressed.
The same is true in India. The country gained independence under the Congress Party, a left-leaning secular party. But a portion of the Hindu population that makes up 80% of the population is slowly being consumed by pressure from the racist and religiously extremist-based right-wing party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, which attacks non-Hindus, including Christians but especially Muslims, who make up 14% of India’s population. The BJP formed the government in 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the Congress party’s defeat at the hands of the BJP, it may be difficult for the Congress to return to power with the majority move to the right. The BJP’s loss of majority in the recent elections went against the tide and they blamed Muslims for losing the majority.
As in India, so it is in Israel. The Labor Party and other leftist parties have gone to the grave because the majority of Israeli Jews have completely abandoned their leftist values. In Israel, the change in society from liberal to nationalist extremists and religious extremists is the most complete, the most extreme in the world. As the critic of Israel, Norman Finkelstein, said, “Israel is a lunatic state“.
In Myanmar, hatred of Rohingya Muslims was led by Buddhist monks, such as the monk known for his attacks on the Rohingya, Ashin Wirathu. Although Myanmar’s population is 90% Buddhist and the Rohingya are only 5%, these monks are able to scare the majority that this minority is a threat to Myanmar.
Are there any similarities and lessons to Malaysia, especially the Malays? For me, there is.
The population of Peninsular Malaysia consists of 66% Malays, 24% Chinese, and 9% Indians out of its 23 million population. It was established by the secular and at the time, a liberal Umno (with cooperation from Chinese-based MCA, and Indian-based MIC). Over time it became more right-wing, conservative and more racially based. But presently, because they were perceived to have become too corrupt, many Malays gave their support to other parties, including the increasingly influential Pas. The more liberal Pas then under Nik Aziz was not very influential. But under the leadership of Hadi Awang, Pas is more to the right and conservative and play-up more on religious and racial issues. Apparently, this view is supported by a growing number of Malays. The direction of the Malay community is the same as what happened in Israel, India and Myanmar, which is increasingly conservative with the interplay of racial and religious sentiments. The “green wave” is the reality of the direction of the Malay community. The Pakatan Harapan government is actually going against the grain. The question is, for how long?
The fundamental contradiction is the same as that in Israel, India and Myanmar – that is, for the Malay majority, it is impossible for a democratic-and-liberal attitude to be at hand with discrimination against minorities. So, the direction of the Malay community is to the conservative right wing with a play of religious and racial extremism.
What happens when a society becomes more conservative, more right-wing and extremist? If we look at the situation in Israel, India and Myanmar, they lose their humanity, becoming more cruel to what they consider their enemy. Murder becomes commonplace. Even with so many deaths due to Israel’s attack on Gaza, and the devastation so severe, a survey of Israeli attitudes found that 73% supported the attack, and even 34% thought that an attack of this level was insufficient.
The survey also included the Palestinian population in Israel, which is 20% of its population. If taking into account only the Jewish population, the percentage is 91% in favor and 43% in favor of more violent actions.
Are these traits also true of the Malays? There is an element of the majority population, namely the Malays, bullying the minority. It may not be as bad, not as clear as what was mentioned above, but the elements are there. It is still at a low level and hopefully the direction toward extremism can be curbed, and of course we do not want it to become more extreme. Otherwise, the Malays will gradually become more inconsiderate, cruel and lose their human values. Please do not go there.
I am grateful to Hassan Karim, the member of parliament for Pasir Gudang, for his comments and views. Any shortcomings however are my responsibility.
Rosli Omar is a former lecturer at Universiti Malaya. Although his field was technical, he was interested in issues that affect society.