POWERFUL HAMAS QUESTION MARKS FOR MALAYSIA'S ANWAR - ARE THERE NO NON-MUSLIMS IN GAZA? - CAN THE WORLD BOMB ITS WAY TO PEACE? - OR IS ANWAR USING ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR AS "ANTIDOTE" TO SWING MALAY-MUSLIM VOTES INTO HIS OWN FAVOR AT HOME - IF ANWAR & OTHER MUSLIM WORLD LEADERS MORPH GAZA WAR INTO A RELIGIOUS CRISIS, IGNORING ATROCITIES TO NON-MUSLIMS, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM, ISRAEL, U.S. & THE WEST?

Written by J. D. Lovrenciear in letter to Politics Now!

KUALA LUMPUR (Politics Now!) -  The Israel Hamas war must not morph into a religious crisis.

Malaysians are quiet clear in conscience and have been registering their concern for Palestine as the daily updates on the war involving Israel and Hamas grows alarmingly. 

However the prime minister of Malaysia has an urgent task to clarify, educate and pacify growing concerns lately over his direction setting. 

According to media reports (The Scoop, 19 October), Anwar Ibrahim has just addressed some 300 Malaysians living in the Middle East. 

In Riyadh he said that "Malaysia’s determination to fight for the cause of the Palestinians, who continue to be oppressed by Israel, is not because it wants to be a ‘hero’ but rather on the basis of the responsibility to defend Muslims.

“The Muslim Ummah is challenged and tested… hence, we must show our firmness,” he is reported to have said at that meet and greet session with the Malaysian diaspora in Saudi Arabia, earlier this evening. 

CAN THE WORLD AFFORD A GLOBAL WAR DEFINED BY RACE & RELIGION

The question is why assert that Malaysia will defend the "muslims" in Palestine. Are there no non-muslims in Gaza equally affected by the injustices and devastating war currently raining on civilians of all creeds and ethnicity?

As a leader of a multiracial and multi religious nation should Anwar not have seized the opportunity to bring some sense into a world that is markedly being led astray by a 'my religion verses yours' divisiveness and racist madness? 

Certainly the world cannot afford a global war defined by religious or racial boundaries as it would otherwise prove most deadly to all of humanity. 

Anwar will agree that back in Malaysia such statements by him may be powerful antidotes for a Malay Muslim vote swing in his favor - given his opponent political party's support for Hamas and for political Islam rooting. 

LETHAL TWO-SIDED COIN

But it can also prove to be a lethal concoction that could further divide the nation along religious schism as the country of 33 million people are of various faiths - Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism, etc. 

Right minded leaders need to see the plight of Palestinians as a humanitarian dilemma that must be stopped before it becomes a global contagion. 

There should be no religious or ethnic stereotyping but to see the war as an atrocity against humans. 

In fact Anwar's statement in Riyadh also does not jive with what his daughter is championing come Sunday 22 October. 

Nurul Izzah Anwar is the guest of honour at a rally that will be held by civil society groups Viva Palestina Malaysia and Humanitarian Care Malaysia, a protest assembly in Kuala Lumpur estimated to attract tens of thousands of concerned citizens of all races and religions. 

People are also vary of international reports of certain leaders outside Malaysia who have questioned Malaysia's stand with regards to Hamas. 

Hopefully the PM will make amends and help Malaysia to seize the sitz-im-laben to bridge Malaysians of all faiths as well as to make our collective efforts to broker for peace for the sake of humanity and justice in Palestine.  - Written by J. D. Lovrenciear in letter to Politics Now!

POLITICS NOW!