Malaysia on its way to liberalism, says scholar

Those are the thoughts of a South African Muslim scholar Prof Ebrahim E.I. Mossa when addressing the audience at the “Developing a Philosophy of Pluralism” forum organised by Penang Institute, as reported by The Malaysian Insider Tuesday.

"The very idea that Malaysia has accepted, constitutionally or otherwise, the plurality of religious and ethnic communities… it is already on the way to liberalism.

"You are already on a certain kind of liberalism. It might not be an optimal one, but it is already there.

"If you want to get away from liberalism, you need to tear up the Malaysian constitution and begin knocking down the foundation of what the society is about," he said.

The portal reported that Moosa was replying to a question from the audience on his thoughts on the Senate being told earlier Tuesday that "the teachings of liberalism and pluralism are seen as among the most prevalent forms of insult to Islam".

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom was quoted by Bernama as saying: "This (insulting Islam) is the result of a string of views that perceive Islam in a liberal, plural sense and the teachings which see religion as an individual's right which has no relation to other parties.

"These groups failed to understand and see that the provision of the Constitution agreed upon since independence which puts Islam not only as the official religion, but also as the Federal religion."

In his reply, Moosa said he did not know what Jamil Khir was trying to convey.

"What I understand from friends that people here are condemning liberalism and pluralism.

"It is clear that there is some particular meaning to what is pluralism and liberalism is here, which I believe is very different from the stuff that I am talking about.

"They are talking about something unpalatable to them. I think it requires a very careful examination and a much more enlightened conversation,” he said, as quoted by a portal.