Self-censorship among non-Muslims 'unhealthy', say academics

Gan Pei Ling Gan Pei Ling Updated 6 years ago · Published on 13 Jan 2018 8:22PM · 8 Comments

Political scientist Azmil Tayeb says non-Muslims are starting to self-censor for fear of offending Muslim sensitivities, a practice he says is unhealthy in the long run. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, January 13, 2018.

A GROWING culture of self-censorship among non-Muslims in Malaysia to avoid offending subjective Muslim sensitivity is unhealthy, said social scientists.

“It has become ingrained in non-Muslims to respect Muslim sensitivity, but what is sensitive is often subjective,” Universiti Sains Malaysia political scientist Azmil Tayeb told The Malaysian Insight today.

He was commenting on the practice of non-Muslim business owners to avoid the depiction of dogs, animals considered unclean by Muslims, in shopping malls and stores as Chinese Malaysians prepare to usher in the Year of the Dog on February 16.

“It’s definitely not healthy. It’s ridiculous. The tolerance is one way. This is due to years of intimidation (from some authorities). It’s overboard.

“Because non-Muslims have been told so many times not to offend, they think this is the best way to be safe than sorry,” said the expert on Islamic politics in Southeast Asia.

Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association president Taufiq Yap Yun Hin said personally, he does not feel offended by canine images but he can understand other Muslims may not feel the same.

Wary of public backlash, businesses in Malaysia have often been careful not to offend Muslim sensitivities.

Earlier this month, the Giant Hypermarket courted controversy from netizens for selling a T-shirt of the 12 zodiac animals, but the dog and pig images were replaced with characters spelling out the animals’ names.

In October 2016, pretzel chain Auntie Anne’s was asked to rename its “Pretzel Dog” to “Pretzel Sausage” by the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim).

The same year, a half-man, half-pig character in the Chinese New Year blockbuster Monkey King 2 was removed from its original posters. The film distributor, Golden Screen Cinemas, said it modified the poster on its own initiative.

The book launch was jointly organised by independent book distributor Gerakbudaya and Institute of Malaysian & International Studies (Ikmas), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

In conjunction with the launch a panel discussion was held.

Azmil, Taufiq and International Islamic University Malaysia Islamic expert Maszlee Malik were part of the discussion panel on a book on Chinese Muslim cultures in Indonesia authored by Ikmas research fellow Hew Wai Weng.

Ikmas Associate Professor Helen Ting moderated the discussion.

Islamic academic Maszlee Malik says people should respect each other than tolerate others as it implies begrudging acceptance. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, January 13, 2018.

Maszlee said the cultural dominance of Malay Muslims in Malaysia has prompted many Chinese Muslim converts to feel the need to assert their Chinese identity.

“A lot of them find Malay supremacy disturbing… The moment they become Muslims, they feel they have to show that they are still Chinese. I bet Taufiq never went around wearing a traditional Chinese shirt before he became a Muslim,” he quipped.

Maszlee added that he has observed Chinese converts here finding various ways to retain their ethnic culture, including learning Mandarin.

He said Malaysians need to respect and appreciate, and not just tolerate the cultural and religious diversity in the country and around the world.

For instance, he said Chinese Muslims in northern Thailand see themselves as distinct from the Muslims in Bangkok, southern Thailand and mainland China.

“The word tolerance is very dirty. It means you could dislike something or someone but you tolerate it. In your heart, there is still disgruntlement. That’s not the way forward.

“We must not neglect the basic essence of humanity, which is mutual respect. If you don’t respect others, people won’t respect you,” he said. – January 13, 2018.

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Comments

  • "It's definitely not healthy. It's ridiculous. The tolerance is one way. This is due to years of intimidation (from some authorities). It's overboard - ...... SOKONG!!!!! ..... Only Muslims in UMNO and PAS (ordinary Muslims are okay) say they are sensitive ...... Other religions not sensitive-kah????

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • The self censorship is because of political pressure, not religious sensitivity. The UMNO redshirts can do what they want, and one never knows how the government would react to their excesses. Double standards as practiced by the government cause the citizens to turn this country a joke to the outside world.

    Posted 6 years ago by Meng Kow Loh · Reply

  • The good old days are gone. This is something we as Malaysians should lament about.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • People of all races in Malaysia are generally intolerant, indifferent. What is required more than anything else is respect for others' culture, language and beliefs. This is sorely lacking. Politicians play the race card and highlight the differences and not similarities among the people. Malaysians have to grow up- mentally.

    Posted 6 years ago by Peter Johnson · Reply

  • The self censorship is done by one own self due to the fear and self created believe that there will be persecution. The silence to rebuke and humbling oneself to be accomodating is of one own creation and it will only perpetuate the intimidation. The nons must stand for their rights as this country seen her independance and economic developement not through one race single efforts but a collective strength of all the earlier "pendatangs" of Malay, Chinese Indians and others. The Ketuanan Concepts have morped into the unbelievable monstrosity where it has now thrown religion into the political fray. We are seeing the dominant race religion has the ultimate might over the others. It has built into an offensive strategy gnawing into the other races faith and beliefs and even harmless cultural practises are being viewed from a skew myopic understanding. All these in the guise of sensitivity. It does not help by being too accomodating and being a coward. To retain one own race dignity and practises of faith and beliefs one must be able to stand tall and defend one owns right in practises of one own faith and beliefs thru the articulation in the stipulated constitutional clauses. Do not silence one own self rights in the country of birth and allowing it to being trampled when one own self or back then to our forefathers, we have contributed immensely to the country independence and economic developement. The nons especially the Chinese race should stop being a "barking gate dog" and playing safe in their accomodating behaviour. You are only condoning the others to act unkindly towards your own self. In other words --- You asked for it !!!!!

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Has anyone noticed that these "sensitivities" appeared only in the recent past - about a decade or so ago, or after the BN lost its two-thirds majority! So they are all feigned "sensitivities" with political motives behind. Why were the Muslims of the previous generations not "sensitive" like some of them today? Yes, just some - not all Muslims. Where does Islam say that Muslims have to be sensitive to this and that, at their whims and fancies?
    They are sensitive to the crosses, yet they want to send their children to mission schools for a better education.
    They are sensitive to wishing "Merry Christmas". They are sensitive to trolleys used by non-Muslims in supermarkets. But they are not sensitive to money that is handled by pork sellers and gets into their wallets through circulation from hand to hand. Non-Muslims should not disrupt their normal lives trying to accommodate all these feigned sensitivities. It is just trying to impose KETUANAN on the non-Muslims.







    Posted 6 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply

  • Well said. Very true indeed. In many areas we tend to stop there and do not advance further just for the sake of not offending others. As a Malaysian Chinese, I think partly is due to the influence of the traditional teaching - 'self protection'. However, the main reason is that many of us including me, in don't know our citizen's right well enough. More and more Malaysians (young and old) are now aware and we can only change and correct it in general election. Son don't miss your chance and your every vote is crucial for the country. The effort has to be continued if it does not happen in GE14. Never give up.

    Posted 6 years ago by Shiaw Loh · Reply

  • I have said again and again. THE STUPID MALAYS and THE RELIGIOUS BIGOTS of PAS and UMNO are responsible for all these. It has nothing to do with Islam. Corruptions, robbing the people is OK...it is all "LillahiTaala" (in the name of Allah)....see how stupid the are.

    Dogs and pigs are the creatures of God....why should you discriminate and degrade these creatures?
    Corruptions and kleptocracy are the creation of human...yet you said "LillahiTaala"

    The stupid malays...convert are called "masuk melayu"....WTF...They are still Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan...they embrace Islam but not Malay. Islam doesn't belong to the Malays!...except the STUPID Malays believed so.

    We are all humankind...regardless of your ethnicity. Why should one ethnic/race accommodate the intimidation of the others especially from the racial and religious bigots.

    Btw...I am a Malay who loves all creatures of God.

    Posted 6 years ago by Putra Kraken · Reply