Intergroup Conflicts: Who is Responsible?

PAS and UMNO are the “biggest perpetrators” of intergroup conflicts, responsible for “instigating fear and anger” among Malay-Muslims, a recent study found.

According to the Initiative to Promote Tolerance and Prevent Violence (INITIATE.MY), PAS was to blame for at least seven intergroup conflicts from 2004 to 2021, including protests, violent clashes and acts of vigilantism.

Tied in second place were three groups – the Sungai Petani Skuad Bakar vigilante group, the “Red Shirts” movement and the Malaysian Volunteers Corps Department (RELA), each recording six instances.

In third place was UMNO with five instances, followed by Red Shirts leader and UMNO man Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos, and the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), both recording four instances.

Other groups in the list include the Islam Defenders’ Associations (PEMBELA), Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (PERKASA), Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia (GAMIS), Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM), Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) and Dong Zong.

The data was revealed in INITIATE.MY’s latest policy brief, Mainstream Mediation as an Alternative Form of Conflict Resolution in Malaysia, published Thursday, July 28, 2022 (and reported by Focus Malaysia on August 1, 2022)

The groups usually “weaponised far-right ideologies” like predominant ethno-religious nationalism, pro-Malay-Muslim hegemony and anti-racial equality, and “instigated fear and anger” among Malay-Muslims.

These groups did this by claiming that the special position of the Malays and Islam would be “threatened” by the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the Rome Statute.

Other notable instances include protests to defend controversial Indian televangelist Dr Zakir Naik and oppose the introduction of Jawi khat calligraphy in vernacular schools, as well as the Sri Maha Mariamman Seafield temple riots.

The report suggests that while top-down and punitive resolutions are needed in conflicts, especially when it involves violence, approaches like mediation can be effective. This is especially so during the earlier stages of a conflict as community-centric and non-punitive resolutions can better resolve disagreements.

The National Unity and Integration Department is “hamstrung’ in resolving issues or in identifying them. There is no real will to back the work of this Department. Why? The politics of “divide and rule” is directly opposite of the Department’s objectives. Unless we have a Government that seeks the betterment of all and not pander to the narrow political discourse of a few, more issues will surface – from Bon Odori to Oktoberfest.

Selamat Hari Merdeka!

Reference:

Study: PAS, UMNO “biggest perpetrators” of intergroup conflicts, Vinodh Pillai, Focus Malaysia, 1 August 2022