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In 2008, a group of Malaysian artists - filmmakers, dancers, singers, musicians, producersgot together to produce an anti-racism national unity music video. Nobody would be paid. Nobody was threatened with a knife. Only because they love Malaysia. It’s a gift tothe nation, from those who love this beautiful country to those who feel the same… I firstshared this song in church for a Merdeka Day sermon in 2008. It’s still as inspiring andrelevant after these five long years… And I think it sets the tone well for how we canapproach the topic today: The Church and Civil Society in Nation Building.Do you find that meaningful? The song was written by Pete Teo and directed by YasminAhmad and Ho Yuhang. You can’t help but feel a sense of loss thinking how much weneed people like Yasmin Ahmad and her vision of an inclusive Malaysia.Merdeka Day is just a month away. Where are we going, as a nation? Where is Malaysianow after the 13
th
general election? Barisan Nasional is still in power with a comfortablemajority of seats even though it lost the popular votes. “Ini Kali-lah” turns out to be“Lain kali-lah”. BN is unable to regain its super 2/3 majority, but it took back Perak andKedah states. There is a continuing crisis of confidence in the integrity of our electoralsystem. Pakatan Rakyat has filed a lawsuit against the Election Commission in a bid toannul the election results. Many people that I know feel a sense of disappointment,disillusionment, anger with the results. Once upon a time, there was a dream whereMalays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazan, Melanau and various ethnic groups grow uphappily together, we smile and hug each other like in those heart warming Petronas HariRaya advertisements, we eat together in the school canteen and not inside smelly toilets.That is the narrative, the storyline that we have been brought up with.But looking at the depressing headlines these days, you really wonder if it’s all just amyth: Allegations of non Muslim students having to eat in a changing room duringfasting month and non-Malay doctors refusing to treat Malay patients. Alvivi’s idioticstunt on Facebook received swift action (they were charged for insulting Islam anddenied bail) but the Perkasa f’lers walk free as a bird. No action was taken even thoughZulkifli Noordin had earlier insulted the Hindu faith and Ibrahim Ali called for the1
 
 burning of Bibles with the word “Allah”. While we reject insults to any religion, thegovernment needs to show that it works without fear or favor in acting against all thosewho do so. And we have to be concerned at the level of polarization in our society today.We need to actively pursue this elusive thing called “national reconciliation”.Because when the rakyat couldn’t care less or passive or silent or “tidak-apa”, that’s the perfect condition for injustice. Tyranny of the majority can very easily happen in ademocracy. If you hang around CDPC for long enough, you’d realize that this kind of topic like cultural engagement is something we try to be intentional about… to nurture akind of spirituality that is grounded in the real world where we live, work and play. Justthis year alone, Michael/Tom have preached on Engaging Culture (how God has given usthe cultural mandate to rule over creation as responsible stewards, transforming the worldinstead of isolating from the world or conforming to the world), Meng has also preachedon Christian engagement in politics leading up to the general election, and Eugene hasencouraged us to be culture makers (how everyone is called to bring the gospel story of creation/fall/redemption/hope to bear on every area of life, wherever we are). They havelaid a solid biblical foundation that we can build upon, so I’d try to apply that to our Malaysian context. Nation building is a complex issue that requires much praying,thinking, doing and feeling. I hope our reflections today may point towards some ways inwhich we as a church can be a blessing to the country.Let me begin with a hot
cili padi
question: What kind of nation are we building, anyway?Who are we, really? What is our national identity? More specifically, is Malaysia anIslamic state or a secular state?During election campaigns, both PAS and UMNO would try to appeal to Malay Muslimvoters by out-Islamizing each other. PAS promises to implement shariah laws and hududlaws when in power, and Umno steals their thunder: “Excuse me. But we are already anIslamic state, lar”. Prime Minister Najib Razak once said:
 
“We have never been secular  because being secular by Western definition means separation of the Islamic principles in2
 
the way we govern a country… But we have never abdicated from those principles.Malaysia have been always been driven by, and adhere to the fundamentals of Islam”.Ambiga Sreenevasan who was the Bar Council president then represents the other view:"No, Malaysia is a secular state, not an Islamic state. The law is clear about this wherebythe supreme court in a 1998 case stated clearly: we are a secular state and the civil courtadministers secular law. Certainly, Islam receives special treatment in the FederalConstitution but that does not mean Malaysia is an Islamic state…”Is it possible to find a way beyond this deadlock? Imagine you find two entrenched people arguing past each other and refusing to budge an inch. It’s always risky when youtry to be nuanced and say, “I see what you mean but have you thought about this concernthat she brought up?” You are likely to be shot at from both sides. But Jesus says blessedare the peace makers for they shall be called sons of God. Our role is to break down barriers, tear down walls and build bridges even if it means bearing the cross, isn’t it?What can Christians contribute to this conversation?I believe Christians are in a strategic position to bridge this divide. Because we can better understand that for Muslims, Islam is a comprehensive way of life that speaks to everyaspect of human life (from how they eat, how they dress, how they worship and pray, andhow laws govern a country, its legal and banking system). For Christians, the gospel isabout God’s grace reconciling humanity through Christ’s sacrifice for our sins instead of  just a set of rules and regulations. A transformed heart is needed first before obedience tothe law is possible. But the gospel also has a social dimension in that God’s rule has now begun to renew and transform every area of our lives. So we pray: “Your kingdom come,Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. It’s for all of life. If you ask Muslims toleave out their faith from public life totally, you will hit a wall. I think Christians can seea valid concern here where secular-minded folks just don’t get it.We can also appreciate that secularism as an ideology can be extremely oppressive aswell because it insists religious ‘values’ be kept at home while public policies are shaped by value-neutral ‘facts’. This can be seen in Marxist countries during the time of MaoTse3

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