"Liberal ideology which moves in the name of press freedom, practised by Western societies, have incapacitated humanity. We cannot allow them to corrupt our society, which believes in religion."

- PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang

COMMENT | What people do not realise is that when they hurl invectives against this latest thing that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said, they are merely playing into established narratives that sustain a corrupt political class.

And when I say political class, I mean the political establishment which includes Pakatan Harapan. Hadi’s warning to young Muslims not to be fooled a second time by Harapan is exactly the kind of statement that elicits condemnation but misses the point when it comes to Islam in this country.

Looking back, the defensiveness of opposition politics when it comes to issues of race and religion in this country that are not mutually exclusive can best be summed up when Hindraf demanded that UiTM be open to marginalised Indians.

Bersatu Youth education bureau head Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul Munir spoke about the “Tiang Seri'' which is the most concise definition of supremacy I have read.

The "tiang seri" is the main pillar of traditional Malay houses. Ashraf said, "Don't touch the 'tiang seri' because (the house) will collapse if it is disturbed. The responsibility to take care of this house does not fall on the Malays and bumiputera alone.

"Chinese, Indians, Sikhs (and others) have a responsibility to maintain the 'tiang seri' to ensure we stay united under the spirit of harmony."

In other words, racial and religious supremacy not only demands compliance but also demands complicity...