KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — The authoritarianism practiced by religious authorities here has laid the foundation for extremist religious views in Malaysia, Universiti Malaya law lecturer Dr Azmi Sharom said today.
He said the recent Federal Court’s decision over Ezra Zaid’s case sets a dangerous precedent for religious authorities to have things their way while neglecting the rights of others.
“We have laid the foundation for extremist thoughts in this country because we have approached religion, Islam in particular in a way that encourages I am right and you are wrong.
“I’m not saying the religious authorities in this country are like IS (Islamic State) but what I’m saying is if this is your approach where only one view is correct and no other view is right, if you encourage this approach, you are laying the field for people to think in extremist ways,” he said during his speech at the G25’s “Islam in a constitutional democracy” forum today.
Azmi said what is happening in the country was “dangerous” as the Apex court’s decision has given “carte balance to state legislatures to make whatever law they want under the guise of Islam”.
This, said the academic gives no room for other views and opinions while allowing religious authorities to dictate their version of Islam.
“The way that is done here is that only one version is correct and if you disagree with the version, you can be punished.
“Only one view matters, with that power the approach towards Islam has become more and more oppressive, more and more authoritarian and has become more and more supremacist,” Azmi stressed.
He added that this was dangerous if there is no counter balance and drew parallels to the ideology of terrorist organisation, Islamic State.
“The danger is this, there is no counter balance. There has to be counter balance and other views but no, we have only one view that is correct.
“And if you disagree with this, you are a sinner and you should be punished. Sounds like IS to me,” Azmi said which drew laughter from the crowd.
ZI Publications Sdn Bhd and its director Ezra had challenged Section 16 of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995 — with Section 16 (1) making it a crime for Muslims to publish, distribute or possess publications against Islamic law — after Selangor religious authorities seized from their office in 2012 180 copies of Allah, Kebebasan dan Cinta, a Malay translation of Canadian author Irshad Manji’s book titled Allah, Freedom and Love.
A five-man bench of the Federal Court, including Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif, ruled unanimously last month that the Selangor legislative assembly had acted within its powers when enacting the Shariah law, noting among others Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution that allows state laws to restrict the spread of religious doctrine among Muslims.
The court decision means that Ezra, who was charged under Section 16 of the Selangor Shariah law that carries a penalty of a maximum RM3,000 fine or a maximum two-year jail term or both, will have to face trial in the Shariah court.
The High Court quashed in 2013 a government ban on Allah, Kebebasan dan Cinta after ZI Publications filed a judicial review. The original English version was not banned.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/authoritarianism-by-religious-authorities-breeding-extremist-views-academic#sthash.ciClBbWv.dpuf