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.