ZAINAH ANWAR - SIS PUBLIC FORUM 2023 “AFTER DECADES OF ISLAMISATION: WHERE ARE YOU, MALAYSIA?”

Date: 9th July 2023. Day: Sunday. Venue: Grand Millennium Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. This forum features Zainah Anwar (founder of Sisters in Islam & MUSAWAH), Dr. Azhar Ibrahim (Malay Studies Department, National University of Singapore), Robert Lau Hui Yew (former Senator of Dewan Negara), and Nur Sakinah Ahmad Rosli (YSEALI Academic Fellow), moderated by Masjaliza Hamzah.

I am a 64 year old non muslim Malaysian. I still remember fondly the good old days where there was more unity among Malaysians. Because of some of these politicians who like to divide & rule we are where we are today. Lovely sharing by Zainah Anwar. Great speech by Zainah Anwar. As a non Malay and a non-Muslim , I can see the fractious nature of Islam in Malaysia.

I pray that PM Anwar can implement his Islamis mandami or islam Harmoni Soon. Very good speech. Very well delivered in fluent English. However, it will only be understood by the Malay/Muslim elites educated in English medium higher learning institutions. This constitutes less than 10% of the Malay/Muslim population in the country. It will not reach the Malay language-educated Malay population in the rural areas.

It will have some positive effect only if this speech is delivered in the Malay language. Otherwise it will be a lost cause.