COMMENT | Which Islamic warrior and what form of Islam wins will determine the future of Malays and non-Muslims in Malaysia. 

After the social media frenzy over the corruption charges facing Muhyiddin Yassin, attention is now focusing on the religious front related to the film, Mentega Terbang. Released in November 2021, the film appears to have become the latest concern of the nation’s new generation of “Islamic” warriors. 

Reports and pictures of the vandalised cars of the director and scriptwriter together with the written placard threats are now circulating nationally and also internationally. 

How and why the movie which tells the story of a teenager, who on finding out that her mother has terminal cancer, tries to find out about life after death and the way that different religions deal with the subject, has generated thuggish responses and criminal reactions may appear to be difficult to understand. 

But in fact, this response is not surprising considering the way in which Islam has been weaponised in the nation’s politics...