FMT column questions use of 'kafir' rhetoric in campaigning after viral video

An opinion column published by Free Malaysia Today has raised questions over the use of rhetoric on faith and disbelief in Malaysian election campaigning, taking as its starting point a video that went viral at the height of the Negeri Sembilan state election campaign.

According to the column, the video showed a woman supporter of Perikatan Nasional (PN) questioning whether Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporters were able to recite the two declarations of faith, or syahadah. The writer explains that the syahadah marks a person's acceptance as a Muslim and is an important pillar of the faith.

The writer argues that such discourse has become a central plank of the PN and PAS campaign in rejecting DAP and PH, on the argument that PH component parties are led by DAP. He describes this as ironic, given that PAS also seeks the votes of non-Muslims. The column refers to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's acknowledgement after the 15th general election that one of the party's weaknesses was its failure to attract such voters.

The column cites PAS's electoral record: a 140% increase from 18 parliamentary seats in GE14 to 43 in GE15, and 105 state assembly seats in the 2023 six-state polls — the highest of any party and described as the greatest success in the party's 71-year history, achieved through its cooperation within PN.

The writer then asks what model of an Islamic state PAS would establish should it come to power, referring to the academic thesis and book of Abu Bakar Abdullah, "Ke Arah Pelaksanaan Undang-undang Islam di Malaysia: Masalah dan Penyelesaiannya" (1986). Abu Bakar is described as a close friend of Hadi, co-founder of Institut Berakan in 1977, a former PAS Kuala Nerus secretary, a member of the central PAS Youth committee from 1986 to 1991, director of PASTI, and appointed to the Terengganu state executive council on Dec 2, 1999.

Among the proposals quoted from the book: that posts such as armed forces chief, inspector-general of police, chief secretary to the government and chief justice "should be filled by those who are Muslim", while non-Muslims could hold only posts equivalent to "Wazir al-Tanfiz". The book also proposed amending Article 47 of the Federal Constitution so that eligibility to be an elected representative includes being Muslim.

The piece reflects the writer's views and not those of Free Malaysia Today.