One aspect of politics in Malaysia, is labelling.
One will be labelled as Islamist, Wahabist, Syiah, liberal, communist, etc.
Actually, looking back at Malaysia history, labelling has been used extensively.
There was a bloody conflict in Malaysia during the 50’s up to the 80’s. It was labelled as Malayan Emergency. It was never called a war even though people got killed, houses burned, childrens losing fathers and mothers.
Yet it was not called a war. It is an Emergency.
I learned that it was called an Emergency, one of the fact is because if it’s termed as war, then the losses could not be claimed from insurance. At that time, British still owns lot of assets in plantations, buildings and so forth, declaring it an Emergency is more beneficial from them.
The guy who founded Malaysian Islamic Party (a major opposition party in Malaysia up to this date) is Dr. Burhanuddin Helmy. But he was arrested under Internal Security Act on 1965, because he once joined Kesatuan Muda Melayu which fought for independence. And this KMM was label as left wing communist just because that time,Malaya is still under British rule.
After Malaya got its independence in 1957, Dr Burhanuddin was still seen as communist by the pro-British govt, even though he was the president of PAS. And this led to his arrest in 1965.
Now the issue of Sunni Syiah, like those seen in the conflicts of Iraq, has arisen in Malaysia. Why?
Somehow this has got to do with labelling.
Because at this present time, in the ranks of PAS, there were people of the Gen X, those who become adults during the uprising in Iran. And because PAS fight for political Islam, they are seen as the same Syiah whom uprise in Iran, toppled the Shah and installed Khomeini as the new ruler.
I find that the subject of war, history and world politics history to be so amazing, simply because it is like engineering, the result always repeats by itself.
One will be labelled as Islamist, Wahabist, Syiah, liberal, communist, etc.
Actually, looking back at Malaysia history, labelling has been used extensively.
There was a bloody conflict in Malaysia during the 50’s up to the 80’s. It was labelled as Malayan Emergency. It was never called a war even though people got killed, houses burned, childrens losing fathers and mothers.
Yet it was not called a war. It is an Emergency.
I learned that it was called an Emergency, one of the fact is because if it’s termed as war, then the losses could not be claimed from insurance. At that time, British still owns lot of assets in plantations, buildings and so forth, declaring it an Emergency is more beneficial from them.
The guy who founded Malaysian Islamic Party (a major opposition party in Malaysia up to this date) is Dr. Burhanuddin Helmy. But he was arrested under Internal Security Act on 1965, because he once joined Kesatuan Muda Melayu which fought for independence. And this KMM was label as left wing communist just because that time,Malaya is still under British rule.
After Malaya got its independence in 1957, Dr Burhanuddin was still seen as communist by the pro-British govt, even though he was the president of PAS. And this led to his arrest in 1965.
Now the issue of Sunni Syiah, like those seen in the conflicts of Iraq, has arisen in Malaysia. Why?
Somehow this has got to do with labelling.
Because at this present time, in the ranks of PAS, there were people of the Gen X, those who become adults during the uprising in Iran. And because PAS fight for political Islam, they are seen as the same Syiah whom uprise in Iran, toppled the Shah and installed Khomeini as the new ruler.
I find that the subject of war, history and world politics history to be so amazing, simply because it is like engineering, the result always repeats by itself.