Is Malaysia a Muslim Example?

Is Malaysia a Muslim Example? Kanbawza Win Malaysia, has long trumpeted itself as a moderate modern Muslim nation committed to safe guarding the rights of its diverse population and human rights. Indeed a fortnight ago in the capital of Kuala Lumpur, its Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (age 67 just married for the second time to Jeanne Abdullah age 53) proudly hosted the annual World Islamic Economic Forum, where he held up his homeland, that Islam did not equal extremism. But in the international media the case of Ms Lina Joy, a 43 year old Malaysia women converted to Christian rejected by the Federal court was highlighted, to the anger of Malaysian Information Minister Zainuddin Maiden, who retorted back as " Western Media's Bashing of Islam". The Malaysian government, which has strongly supported the dictatorial Burmese Military Government, to be a member in the family of ASEAN, have taken a leaf out of the Junta's book to show only the bright aspect of the country while suppressing the negative aspects, was furious, when caught red handed. The paradoxical irony was that Malaysia did not uttered a word or lift a figure, when the Burmese Junta persecuted and drove out more than 200,000 Burmese Muslim better known as Rohingyas in Western Burma of Arakan state. Far worst is that, who manage to escape to Malaysia were construe as illegal immigrants subjected to persecution. A great number of the people of Burma who have fled their home land come to Malaysia seeking a save sanctuary from the marauding Burmese army or to silently eke out their livelihood were routinely persecuted. Sometimes ago, in the slums near of Kuala Lumpur to be exact in Jalan Imbi when many residents were fast sleep at 3 a m several hundred men and women from the People's Volunteers Corps better known as RELA equivalent to the Burmese USDA embarked on a major operation against illegal immigrants there. RELA personnel, accompanied by immigration officers, had stealthily cordoned off the entire area of shop houses and low cost flats. Armed with batons and lock-cutters, they waited for a signal, and suddenly swarmed in and searched house to house for undocumented migrants. Paul, a 32-year-old Burmese, was asleep in a dilapidated shop house at the time. He obediently opened the door when he heard loud banging and was herded to an open car and arrested. "They don't want to listen to us even if we try to explain that we have documents," said Paul who holds a recognition letter from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees based in Kuala Lumpur. Similarly, Bob an intern with a local NGO, was also detained during the raid after futile attempts to explain that he had a Canadian passport and a valid visa. The duo was among some 2,000 people who were arrested. Even though both of them were released later, there were many people who were beaten up and were never given a first aid. Stories like these are increasingly common as the Malaysia government steps up efforts to use RELA as their newest enforcers against the perceived illegal. Yet the Malaysia government claims to be a good Muslim? Amnesty International director Joseph Roy Benedict believes that the 2005 amendments to the Ikatan Relawan Rakyat Regulations 1972, which allows use of arms, arbitrary arrest and detention as the main cause of human rights abuses in Malaysia. This regulation which provided RELA with wide powers, with no mechanism of accountability ought to be reviewed. This is also exactly what Mizoram State government of India is doing with the YMA over the poor Chin refuges that fled for their lives into their nearest neighbor. The Bar Council of Malaysia in March had unanimously passed a resolution calling for a declaration that Malaysia no longer in a state of emergency and that enforcement works by 'untrained' RELA personnel is stopped. But the likelihood of the Muslim Malaysia government reducing the activities or powers of RELA soon, is slim as an enforcement unit is cost effective and its large membership ensure necessary manpower to conduct raids. As plans are underway to recruit 50,000 more young members to boost the already 475,000 strong force nationwide the poor Burmese migrants will have to suffer most. Deputy Home Affairs Minister Tan Chai Ho had also announced that RELA would also soon be performing joint crime prevention rounds with the police, who are facing manpower shortage. Perhaps the USDA of Buddhist Burma, RELA of Muslim Malaysia and YMA of Christian Mizoram should call a conference as how best to suppress the Burmese dissident that comes seeking a safe sanctuary and support the tyrannical Burmese Junta. Malaysia, like Thailand is not a signatory to the 1954 Geneva Convention on Refugees and obviously the wild Mizos may not even know of it. But Thailand has a human face. The I NGOs, the local and the Churches organizations involved in humanitarian works were amalgamated under the umbrella of (CCSDPT) Coordination Committee for the Displaced Persons in Thailand which can talk and coordinate with the Ministry of Interior. The Thai Burma Border Consortium that caters to the need of one million plus refugees was but one of them. Why can't Malaysia do like wise and face this humanitarian problem of illegal workers squarely as any civilized nations do? The world is a global village and it is natural that poor and persecuted people will always go to find greener pastures. In every country these illegal workers were mercilessly exploited by their landlord and owners and Malaysia is no exception, at least there should be some laws and statues for these unfortunate people, and Malays should do like wise. The Bush administration on Tuesday added seven nations, including Malaysia and several Muslim nations to its human trafficking blacklist for failing to halt "modern-day slavery ." Most of this year's additions to "Tier 3" are predominantly Muslim nations, many of which have the means to enforce foreign workers' rights and anti-trafficking laws. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, "We hope that responsible nations across the globe to stand together, to speak with one voice and to say that freedom and security are nonnegotiable demands of human dignity ." Sadly we found that Malaysia together with Burma was on the other side. The KL Baptist Church is one of the leading churches catering to the needs of the Diaspora Burmese community and under the Malaysia law no foreign pastor is allowed to have a stay visa other than Muslim. Seeing that Burmese Christian pastor is somehow staying there and doing the good work, she has been compel to work part time at the Burmese embassy and clandestinely report about the Burmese democracy activists in Kusla Lumpur. So if Malaysia's UMNO like Singapore's PAP were to profess democracy and practice the authoritarian rule and encourage the Burmese dictators they should do it covertly. Perhaps Muslims will be better construe by the international community if Muslim Malaysia were to harbor a little heart of sympathy and stop acting like hypocrites. Professor Kanbawza Win, a former Senior Research Fellow at the European Institute of Asian Studies, Brussels is now the incumbent Dean of the Students of the AEIOU Programme, Chiangmai University Thailand and an Adjunct Professor of the School of International Studies, Simon Fraser University, of British Columbia, Canada filed this report from Kuala Lumpur -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Kanbawza is an online freelance or a free contributing media and distributing news, commentary and information from individuals, professional and non-professional journalists. The issue does not focus on one particular group people or region, anyone on earth is free to join and work with TK as a voluntary or free writer. TK believes in unity in diversity which all human being on earth can work together for their common interests.