COMMENT - Politics, preachers, and seeds of terror By R Paneir Selvam

Malaysiakini : When politics legitimises extremist narratives

The weaponisation of race and religion in Malaysian politics is not new. For decades, political competition has revolved around identity-based mobilisation.

Campaign speeches warn of threats to Islam, to Malay rights, or to national identity. Social media amplifies conspiracy theories about demographic change or religious encroachment.

In many cases, political leaders frame national debates as existential struggles for survival.

Such rhetoric can be politically effective. However, it also normalises a worldview remarkably like the narratives used by extremist groups.

Terrorist organisations thrive on the belief that society is divided into opposing camps: believers versus enemies, insiders versus outsiders. When mainstream political discourse adopts similar language, however less extreme, it helps legitimise that worldview.

Young people encountering extremist propaganda online may therefore see it not as a radical departure from reality but as an intensified version of ideas they already hear in public life.

OrangeJaguar9341 : A thought-provoking perspective. I just wonder if it's too late for Malaysia. The use of religion and race to galvanise and incite the public is already the modus operandi of politicians, partucularly those from race-based parties. 

We have no Malay leaders with the courage, moral conviction and support to dismantle the ideological system that nurtures hate and extremism.

RR : Our Race and religious institutions are formed to protect and sustain their own interests. Hence there is no institution for pan Malaysian : even if there is one there will be no support unless the law is amended to accommodate diversity and universality. 

Learning from Malaysian example, Spore has amended their laws to sustain diversity and universality to some extent to think and act that humanity is just ONE and the nation is ONE.

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