This article is based on the writer's assignment in Sociology subject in School of Communication and Media Studies (Mass Comm), UiTM Shah Alam. Submission date is 8th May 2013 (This article is being post by the writer (me) 5 (five) days after the submission date (deadline).
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Malaysia
can be categorized as a country which practices multiculturalism where
its citizens recognizing the cultural, races and also religion diversity in
which almost same the United States for promoting equal standing for all
traditions. Although Malaysia is a country that practices freedom of religion
as stated in its constitution, the constitution also stipulates that Islam is
the official religion of the Federation.
Even
so, subject to Article 11 (4) of the Constitution, the states and the federal
law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief
in religion among Muslims. Among of the included doctrine is Syiah
(Shia) as stated in National Fatwa Council that was convened on 5th
May 1996. As matters of ideology are closely associated with the beliefs
that is specific thoughts or ideas that people hold it to be truth, then the
Shia devotees in Malaysia only be allowed to practice it but not to propagate
and disseminate it.
As
Syiah ideology is banned to disseminate by the Malaysian government, Shia
in Malaysia can be recognized as counterculture; the patterns
that strongly opposed by those widely accepted within a society. It is due the
majority of people who profess Shia in other countries especially in Middle-East
country such as Iran, Iraq Pakistan and so on confront with the hostility
between Sunnis (Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah) and Shia followers that is very strict
in which they kill besides declaring war among each this two group even though both
of this group claiming as Muslims (professing Islam religion). Thereby, as the
majority of Malaysian Muslims professing Sunni sect, then Shia devotees in
Malaysia can also be categorized as subculture; the patterns that set
apart some segment of a (Malaysian) society’s population.
In
dealing with those Shia devotees that break the prohibition of disseminating
Shia ideology, Malaysian government has make various efforts such as deterrence
them by prisoning them besides using the Internal Security Act (ISA), the detention
without (court) trial that can be classified as rehabilitation; a
program for reforming the offender to prevent later offenses because they (Shia
disseminators) founded to be risky for national security as what already happens
in those country that already as mention
before.
There
have been difficulty to ensure whether a person has professing Shia ideology or
not due to the action of this group that always practiced deceptive act or
pretend in public especially when they live in a place that Shia’s devotees can
be considered as minorities or in Shia religion’s
term called as Taqiyyah(Tuqya). In other words, they said to be an in-group
where they want to gain respect and loyalty from the society at all once
preventing to be out-group; a social group that is two or more
people who identify with beside interact each other which could make a person
feels sense of opposition and also competition towards others.
They
have to do this (Taqiyyah) in order to close the public eye about their
true beliefs like declaring the disbelieving of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and many more their kufr (disbelieving)
believes in order to inject ‘refined needle’
so that the public is influenced by Shiite teachings gradually. This becomes
reason why the government agencies still monitoring besides only few actions that
has been taken in handling this problem towards those government employees and
also the members of the mosques who have been suspected involved in Shia
ideology dissemination.
Apart
from arresting Shiite (Shia) teachings spreader, the government has also made
efforts to prevent the spread of this ideology in way of monitoring besides
blocking all materials in print and electronic mass media; the means to
delivering communications and information to a vast of audience that are
suspected try to influencing people especially those who profess Sunni sect so
that later would becoming Shia follower.
Besides
monitoring mass media, Malaysian government via such Religious Councils whether
in state or federal level try to solve the Shia growing epidemic spread by
providing clear understanding to the civilians in theology especially in the Aqidah
(faith) scope at once revealing the fact of Shiite danger via various
ceremonial session like forums, seminars, lectures and so on. In fact, dialogue
sessions in the search for common ground between Sunni and Shia so that the fight
and war between Sunni and Shia followers as occurs in Middle-east country would
not happen in Malaysia had already do by those religious council. This case as
mentioned by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir
Baharom stated that in swaddling the spread of Shia, the government adopted prudent
approach by the zeal and spirit of the Constitution.
However,
such dialogues not only make within Malaysia, but it also had been made in the
international level. Among of the famous body includes the Amman Message
organization. Despite many dialogs have been held, the tension between the
Sunnis and Shias still continued due to the stigma; a negative label
that greatly changing an individual’s self-concept an social identity. As
stated before, Shia followers are taught to practice deception act, Taqiyyah
as mention before. Then because of it, the stigma which are usually been
labeled towards Shia followers not else no other than a liar, deceiver and so
on until make all of their argument cannot or hard to be accepted by Sunni
people.
To
conclude, all parties should be sensitive to Shia issue which seen germinate
well particularly in Malaysia and each people have to respectively reminders
and told others so that we always be careful with these liars! Do not let
Malaysia becoming like Iraq, Iran, so famous country that still turbulent with
Sunni-Shia issue no others than Syria particularly in which when the Shia
population have gained the administrative
power, they will kill and oppress Sunni people cruelly. It should be emphasized
that there should not be any political party particularly the political party
that always ‘shouting’ the spirit of Islamic strive to accept if perhaps there
are the seeds of Shia sprout growing in their party.
(Exactly
1000 words (not including Title).
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