Anwar has frequently spoken about the compatibility of Western ideas of human rights and democracy with Islamic law in his public speeches. He gained admiration not only by Western countries, but also from non-Malay politicians in Malaysia who saw him as a leader capable of steering Malaysia back to the centre after years under Dr Mahathir and UMNO.
There were hopes that if he came to power, he would undo the excesses of the previous government.
In the 2022 general election, the Democratic Action Party (DAP), the Chinese wing of Anwar’s coalition government, won 90 per cent of the Chinese vote, in part because the Chinese community viewed Anwar as the only Malay leader who could reform the political system.
THE ISLAMIST
Since then, however, Anwar has faced growing criticism from many Malaysians, particularly for actions that some view as increasingly aligned with Islamist policies.
Key to this discontent are his strong stances on issues like the Palestinian cause and his support for the Mufti (Federal Territories) Bill, a controversial piece of legislation that would give religious authorities unbridled powers without parliamentary oversight.
A fatwa is a religious edict or formal ruling on Islamic law, and it is binding on Malaysian Muslims. Currently, fatwas can be legally binding in Malaysia if they are gazetted by the relevant state governments or federal territories.
Under the proposed Bill, however, fatwas issued by the FT mufti cannot be challenged in court. Critics warn that this could lead to punishments for actions that are not criminalised under the country’s secular law. It would also give power to the government, through the mufti, to police nearly every aspect of Muslim life in Malaysia.
A further concern is that the Bill will set in law that only a person belonging to certain streams within the Sunni school of thought can hold the position of FT mufti. There are fears this will marginalise non-Sunni sects and make Malaysia into a de facto theocratic state in the long run as other states adopt the same legal framework as the FT Mufti Bill.
This would leave no room for alternative streams of thought. There are some who argue that the real target of the Bill is the Shia movement in Malaysia, which has been gaining strength and followers in the past decade. Many of the top Sunni clerics in Malaysia support this Bill.
The Bill is in its final stage in the Malaysian parliament and thus far, the mounting opposition has had no effect. Critics argue that Anwar may delay the Bill but will proceed with it later.
Some Muslims and non-Muslims are concerned that if the Bill is passed, Islamisation will accelerate to the next level.
