"These wild accusations not only show insensitivity toward harmony in a multicultural and multifaith society but also ignore the fact that PAS' views are based on the National Fatwa Council's guidelines."

– PAS Youth information chief Khairul Nadzir Helmi Azhar

COMMENT | With that little snippet, PAS youth information chief Khairul Nadzir Helmi Azhar has defined the problem with religious intolerance in this country and the trouble rational Malaysians are heading into the new year.

What we will be dealing with in 2025 is economic uncertainty brought upon by geopolitical upheavals and the reality that because of these economic uncertainties, the state will attempt to use race and religion to sustain power instead of utilitarian policies that would encourage some form of national cohesiveness.

Crude majoritarianism will be used to justify undemocratic policies, and the minorities will be scapegoated and cowed into enabling policies which are detrimental to economic prosperity and regional security.

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