In this seminar, Dr Ahmad Farouk talks about how the deteriorating racial and religious conditions in Malaysia at the moment is correlated to the economic disparity between the races.
MALAYSIA STUDIES PROGRAMME SEMINAR
Monday, 26 August 2019 – Dato’ Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, Founder and Director of the Islamic Renaissance Front, a Malaysian non-governmental organisation, presented a seminar at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute earlier today, on the topic of ‘Malays and Islam under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Coalition’. The event was attended by over 80 people from various industries, including journalists, ministry officials and individuals from the private sector.
Dr Norshahril Saat moderated the session by Dato’ Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, Founder and Director of the Islamic Renaissance Front. (Credit: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute)
Dr Ahmad Farouk argued that the deteriorating racial and religious conditions in Malaysia at the moment is correlated to the economic disparity between the races. He pointed out that the multicultural ideals that Malaysia had aspired to in its early years have been subverted for political mileage by various politicians over time, especially by those in the previous administration. Plans to also lift Malaysians, especially the Bumiputras in the B40, or the in bottom 40 per cent of the economic spectrum, has failed to take off, entrenching them in poverty and being dependent on the government instead.
All of these problems were inherited by the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) government when it won the elections in May last year. Despite the initial joy, many Malaysians have expressed frustration at the government’s apparent inability to solve pressing political and economic issues; it has since had to backtrack on several promises made on its campaign manifesto. This, according to Dr Ahmad Farouk, was an unfair evaluation of their governance, as most of these problems were created by the previous administration over its half a century rule in Malaysia.
Finally, Dr Ahmad Farouk called for Malaysia to move forward beyond race-based politics and policies, and to focus on more redistributive policies that spread wealth more equally across the races. After his presentation, Dr Ahmad Farouk answered multiple questions from the floor. Some of them asked him on more specific policy recommendations in the near future, while others asked his opinions on the current political situation amongst the Malay parties.
The seminar was attended by over 80 people from various industries, including journalists, ministry officials and individuals from the private sector. (Credit: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute)