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Rising religious tensions corner Najib in Malaysia
Reuters - September 12, 2011
The raid has sparked an angry verbal battle between Christians and the majority Muslims, forcing Najib to seek what may be an elusive peace between the ethnic Malays and minorities, both of which believe the government isn't doing enough to safeguard their rights. Conservative Muslims want a crackdown on what they say is growing boldness by Christians to try to convert Muslims, which is an offense in Malaysia, while ethnic minorities worry their rights are being eroded.
"Najib is caught between wanting to secure a conservative Malay-Muslim electorate and a political reality where he is losing ground among minorities who are more mobilized and politically aware," said Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia specialist at Singapore Management University.
The next general election is not due until 2013 but there is increasing speculation that it could take place by early 2012. Analysts see little chance of a loss for the ruling National Front coalition but caution that Najib needs to win a convincing two-thirds majority if he wants to avoid a revolt within his UMNO party, long accustomed to majorities by that margin.
Race and religion have always been touchy subjects in a country split between ethnic Malays, Chinese and Indians but analysts say the latest quarrel is coming at a delicate time for Najib, who faces a much-strengthened and better-organized opposition, said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the independent opinion polling outfit Merdeka Center. "It's not going to be easy for Najib," Suffian said.
Islamic enforcement officers raided a Methodist church near the capital last month on suspicion that a meeting was being held to evangelize Muslims. The meeting's organizers, a non-governmental organization, denied the allegations and said the gathering was a charity affair.
Racial unity is a cornerstone of Najib's plans but many Malaysians have derided his efforts. Recently, Najib also extended an olive branch to unhappy Christians by establishing official ties with the Vatican but the gesture has been largely dismissed as nothing more than symbolic. A survey last month by the Merdeka Center polling outfit found the percentage of respondents agreeing that Malaysians of differing ethnic groups were growing closer to one another had fallen by nearly half to 36 percent compared to 64 percent in 2006.
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