Attacks on U.S. sharpen divisions in Malaysia

Attacks on U.S. sharpen divisions in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Fallout from the terror attacks on the United States has sharpened political and religious divisions in Muslim-majority Malaysia, intense public debate showed on Monday.

Conflict emerged over Afghanistan's call for an Islamic 'jihad' or holy war against the United States if it is attacked, as an opposition alliance here disintegrated over the question of an Islamic state.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's religious adviser Abdul Hamid Othman urged Muslims not to respond to calls for jihad against the United States.

"Our advice to Muslims in Malaysia is that for the moment don't get involved. Let's not act hastily," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits times, as newspapers continued to devote massive coverage to the aftermath of the attacks.

But the spiritual leader of the increasingly-powerful opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), Nik Aziz Nik Mat, said the world's Muslims would feel duty-bound to support any Islamic nation that was victimized.

They could show their support by sending people or money to such countries or by praying for the people there, he was quoted as saying by the Sun newspaper.

The U.S. has threatened military action if Afghanistan refuses to hand over Islamic extremist Osama bin Laden, named as the prime suspect behind the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

The ruling Taliban regime responded by warning that it would call a jihad, in which all Muslims would be urged to wage war against the U.S. if it carried out its threat.

The split between the moderate Islamic position of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's government and a more extreme view was also reflected in the break-up of the opposition Alternative Front alliance.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP), which draws the bulk of its support from Malaysia's ethnic-Chinese minority, pulled out of the alliance at the weekend because of plans by one partner, PAS, to create an Islamic state.

Although the possibility of a rift had been on the cards for some time, a DAP spokesman said Monday the attacks on the U.S. had convinced some waverers within the party to finally abandon PAS.

"They feel the heat of Islamic fanaticism, including the visions of the Taliban, Iran and Iraq," said DAP adviser Chen Man Hin.

Like many leaders of Muslim states, Mahathir faces powerful opposing forces in Malaysian society in the wake of the attacks on the U.S., with revulsion for terrorism competing with resentment over perceived Western injustices against Islamic countries.

Mahathir has pledged support for the war against terrorists, but warned that "oppression" must first be eradicated before terrorism can be beaten.

"If (we) want to wipe out terrorism, the problem in Palestine must be eradicated as well as that in Iraq and Chechnya. Only when there is no fresh oppression will the problem of terrorism be overcome," he said.

Analysts say the fallout from the terror attacks could strengthen Mahathir's hand against PAS, which gained dramatically increased support in the last general elections in 1999.

"It is certainly going to have a significant effect in terms of the Islamic challenge to the present government," National University of Malaysia political scientist P.Ramsamy told AFP.

"The government will try to somehow link Muslim militants with the PAS-type of Islam" and capitalize on the backlash against terrorism, he said.

Even before the attacks on the U.S., Mahathir's government had linked PAS to what it says is a local militant organization known as the "Malaysian Mujahideen Group" and has detained 10 alleged members without trial. Seven of the detainees are members of PAS.