By G. Manimaran (Bahasa Malaysia Editor)
The Malaysian Insider
October 24, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Umno must be practical in its approach and must shed its narrow views which were no longer relevant now, Islamic scholar Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said.

The former Perlis Mufti described Umno’s tackling of issues now was similar to PAS’s approach in the 1980s, noting that the Islamist party has progressed by presenting itself as a moderate alternative.

In the past two years, PAS has been seen as becoming more progressive and this was highlighted by Umno delegates during the party’s recently concluded annual general assembly, which also tabled a motion on religion and education.

Asri stressed that Umno and other political parties must consider the country’s multi-racial composition when expressing their views on religion or risk Islam becoming politicised.

“In my opinion, it is sad to see that Umno has recently played up issues that made it look like PAS in the 1980s. When PAS is beginning to assert itself as a moderate party, Umno instead are trying to play up issues that are unnecessary.

“Like issues where Muslims cannot enter mosques, cannot pray for non-Muslims, the issue of gambling money, [these] have made Umno seem to have views which are narrow and not relevant to a government [of a country] with different races and religions,” he wrote in his blog.

Asri added that pro-Umno media have also highlighted extreme religious opinions by certain Islamic scholars, which he described as unfavourable to Barisan Nasional.

“Finally Islam has become the victim, Umno must be regarded as dangerous.

“Political ideas with knowledge should be promoted. Political yes-men without thinking must be avoided. This happened when Islam Hadari was propagated and others just nodded without giving critical view. The slogan then finally buried Umno itself,” he said, referring to the concept introduced by former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Asri was grateful, however, that he was invited to attend Umno’s assembly, but insisted that he will not join any political parties in the near future.

“Our politics should go further than just filing in forms. Politics should not be about affiliations but be based on thoughts and ideas. Politics are measured by views and ideas and this is what I have been trying to do,” he said.

But he noted that there was still space to have difference of opinions in Umno compared to other political parties and was impressed with Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s call for open politics in a new political era.

“I am sorry but the [the party’s] other wings are still following to the beats of yesterday and have yet to mirror a new political era,” Asri said.

The Islamic cleric added that the public today wanted the political parties to compete in healthy manner.

“They (political parties) should be a market of ideas that benefit the country. They should be an open market which provides fresh and quality products, and anyone who manages to provide with the best products will [get] the people’s vote,” he said.

According to Asri, it was not a party’s role to merely expose the weaknesses of its opposition when they themselves do not provide any new ideas.

“Politics is not simply talking about others but forgetting yourself and not be able to bring us anywhere.

“The greatness of a political speech is not in cursing your opponents but it is great when you are able to give views and ideas that can develop the country,” he said.

Asri said narrow political interpretations of Islam must be rejected because political Islam offered great breadth and was widely-based on public interest.

“Political Islam is very broad, flexible and practical but it is always underpinned by the revelations. Not all that is said by Islamic teachers can be accepted. Politics has its unique discipline that requires Islamic knowledge for the benefit of the people and country.

“Just learning a few things in religion does not guarantee a deep understanding of politics in Islam,” he added.