Why is the ruling party so afraid of "liberalism" and "pluralism"?

(This article was earlier published in the Rakyattimes.com on 17/5/2014)

By Viktor Wong

Recently, Umno president Najib Razak had addressed in a youth function, calling on the younger generations to steer away from "liberalism" and "pluralism" which could destroy our country by adopting instead, moderation. Just what exactly does he really try to mean here? The problem here is, does the crowd of youths there understand what does Najib trying to say?

Yes, many of the youths may and may not understand on what Najib is trying to prove by asking them to stay away from liberalism and pluralism. We supposed Najib himself too does not really understand the actual and clear definitions of these two words that he addressed to the young crowd in a function recently.

Liberalism is actually a social and political definition which specifically identify one or more subject of being different than the previous or the earlier generations or what has been laid down by the forefathers of any foundations. 

And we must also agree that liberalism consist of a wide scope of discussion not only social or political but it also goes into the religious segment as well. For example, if one religion that promotes wearing tight headscarf on every women and when it happens that a woman who also profess that religion and did not want to wear the tight headscarf, she will be perceived as behaving a liberal way in her life or religion.

In another occasion, she may be branded as not religious enough by some proclaimed religious scholars. In this case, the word liberal has been systematically misquoted or misused for the sake of "defending" a religion, or to condemn a follower of a religion who does "not exactly" follows that religion. Just how sure are we that the particular follower of the religion did "not exactly" follows the religion that he or she professes? No one knows, only God knows.

Same goes to another situation. If a relatively aged religious scholar's views or lessons has been responded by a very much younger religious scholar using different definitions and then promoting them via hi-tech equipment or gadgets and interpreted it in a different manner, he will also be labelled as a kind of liberal by the relatively aged religious scholar. 

In other occasion, the relatively aged scholar would also condemn the young religious scholar for being too liberal in the religion that he professes. This is too incorrect.

The other fact is, all religions are a set of education and way of life that serves as a guidance to mankind in their everyday's lives, so that mankind could live in a good, happy and harmonious environment. With this, our daily lives will therefore in peace. We will respect and acknowledge one another, in a multiracial and multireligious communities.

Unfortunately, the practice of the religion has been overly interpreted and became too religious, and when these happen, the leaders and follows of that religion may become racist, extremists, imposing strict and unnecessary laws to control its followers at large, thus deviating from the original teachings of the said religion. This is later called ignorance and if left unchecked would eventually turned into total ignorance and later on violence.

Then, come to Pluralism, of which Umno is also trying to outlaw. Pluralism is actually being used in a wide range of topics. There are religious pluralism, political pluralism, cultural pluralism and many more.

So, just what exactly the Umno president here is trying to project to the crowd of youth in a gathering on the definition of pluralism that could destroy our country? Does Najib really knows what pluralism really is in his context? Is he referring to politics, religion, culture or what?

In this, we would like to educate Najib and Umno just how wide pluralism here. First, in general, pluralism refers to energetic positive engagement among people to promote understanding and resolve issues; second, pluralism is not just tolerance but it is also an activism to seek understanding across lines of differences; thirdly, it is also not just relativism but more to the encounter of commitments. We should have a strong commitment to end political, religious and cultural conflicts via continuous dialogues and brainstorming. 

Fourth, pluralism itself is also defined as dialogue. In going through a dialogue, one must first accept the fact of being criticized, criticizing others, self-criticisms, to give and take, to encounter with and that process reveals the workings of creating a common understanding and resolving differences among groups or communities. In such, it also does not mean all will agree to one another, because all will agree to disagree with one another. This too, we call it a process of democracy.

So, is Najib and the ruling party trying to outlaw pluralism just because it caters a very wide space for discussions and debates? Is Najib and the ruling party trying to label those who disagree  and oppose with them as being too “liberal”, thus taking such as an excuse to outlaw the said “ideology” so that the ruling Umno-led BN will continue to hold power in this country?