Reclaiming religious freedom

The other day was a lot less usual than most days with a friend. We engaged in an unlikely conversation with a taxi driver about everything that seems to make up Malaysia – politics, race, religion and of course, taxes. He was a middle-aged man named Samad. I could see that Samad was no stranger to his own ideas about what would make Malaysia a better country.

In fact, he was so absorbed into detailing his daily struggles of winning his daily bread and how offended he was being impacted by the current financial scandals that are happening in the country. It was in this conversation I found myself realising the generally intense dissatisfaction of all Malaysians. We are the injured spectators of a political circus that has gone rogue. It is not just a matter of economic depressions, policy blunders and government slip ups anymore.

We are also in the middle of an identity crisis – defining what it means to be Malaysian today. With Raya just around the corner, everyone is beginning to prepare for celebrations (most likely on a rather tight budget) and vendors compete to sell baju raya, cookies, decorations and what not. I thought that I too, should take a look at getting some nice kurungs or kebayas for the festive season but instead, all I could find were jubahs, jubahs and more jubahs.

I guess we could consider this as a cultural evolution though some dare to say, it is “Arab colonialism” that has deviated us from our roots. It is the gradual radicalisation of religion which stems from its institutionalisation that brings us to this struggle of identity – freedom of religion. When we profess the principles of liberal secularism that make up the personality of the Federal Constitution, much of it seems to peculiarly collapse when the topic of religion is brought up.

The sensational Negri Sembilan transgender case has somewhat rekindled the once prominent reigning of the constitution but mostly, it has compelled most of us to ponder upon to what extent do our constitutional rights support our capacity to practice religion as laid out in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution. Clause (1) itself, clearly outlines that “every person has the right to profess and practise his religion” while Clause (2) further reinforces this right by stating that it “does not authorise any act contrary to any general law relating to public order, public health or morality”.

Going beyond that, there are other articles in Part II of the Federal Constitution that evidently provide the exercise of people’s fundamental liberties such as equality, personal liberty and freedom of movement – supporting one’s ability to practice religion according to their free will and most importantly – without coercion. In spite of the clarity in religious freedom that was drawn up by our founding fathers, it is most unfortunate that Malaysians today do not enjoy the same privilege to live a life according to their own definition of morality.

The most tragic of all is when some authority decides that certain cultural practices are demonised to be blasphemous or inconsistent with religious principles and it has inevitably led to the erosion of the diversity that we find most unique to the Malaysian identity – because it has been taken away from us by those we have placed our trust in, and replaced with unprecedented violence as our sentiments.

Even Tunku Abdul Rahman once said,” In the old days people never bothered about what others did, so long as they were free to do what they liked themselves. Today one cannot sneeze without being corrected, let alone enjoy oneself. That’s what politics have done to our society.” When we attempt to take away a person’s ability to formulate their own identity, not only does it impinge personal freedom – it undermines the preservation of human dignity. The dimensions of religion and culture differentiate in its exposure between us in a multitude of degrees but we need to remind ourselves that basic morality is consistent and this is essential in national unity.

The constitution is said to contain and preserve the values and principles of the nation over the years. Unfortunately, these ideas have eroded over time and we can see how polarised we have become. In the midst of all this major motion picture drama, we have forgotten the values of compassion, tolerance and acceptance that we truly share because all that we have learnt to observe is the validation of moral absolutism in the name of religion.

We are trying to be convinced that the most extreme forms of these principles will guide us when the brutal reality is that its rigidity has isolated and divided the progressive spirit of muhibbah. Some argue that if the majority of the nation yearns to have certain laws or legislation that validates or strengthens their beliefs, they should be given the liberty to exercise their democratic power even though it may end up being unconstitutional.

However, I cannot help but to think it is a shame if we do not consider how it may create injustice to others because it forces some to live a life that does not make them feel free in their own minds and bodies. It can also be quite saddening if we were made to believe that our oriental heritage should be stowed away because it does not abide to what a few unadaptable people think. The preservation of individual liberty and justice by upholding the rule of law were matters that were once important to us.

But now, the religious freedom that we have fought so hard to preserve in the past, is losing the battle to those who abuse religious principles to mask their own misdeeds which forces us to question – how significant is it for us to put a permanent label on religion and to consider what is the most perfect, when we ourselves, are the least of perfection? Malaysia is fighting to rise from the triviality and incivility in our desolation and it begins with reclaiming our own identity as we would have before. We need to be bold in the contestations of our beliefs, religious or not, because it will not only empower the freedoms we are entitled to, but pave the way back to the Malaysia that we used to be – one that believes in the ideals of our constitution. – July 16, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.