Pernicious weed

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FOR some time now pernicious weeds have been invading the world. However, for a while their appearance was confined to far away places and thus, we in Malaysia, have been sitting in our complacent cocoon, deluding ourselves that foul and evil deeds, as represented by the evil weeds, could only happen to strangers in distant lands.

Last week, our comfortable belief took a knock when at least half a dozen misguided evil men wearing the cloak of a noble religion launched an attack on the innocent people of Jakarta.

They purported to try to draw attention to their struggle for the establishment of a religious state ruled by their warped version of Islamic laws.

They want to make their presence felt and their struggle known. It boggles my mind that they chose to do so by perpetrating evil and violent deeds in the name of a religion that portrays itself as a religion of peace. And why should they try to carry out their foul deeds in a country with the most number of Muslims in the world? Didn’t they realise that there was a good chance that brethren of the same faith as them would be among the casualties?

My friend Jack, who is an ardent football fan, put it in the right perspective when he said, “Just because one dons a Manchester United jersey does not make one a Manchester United player.”

Well said, Jack. These violent thugs are as Muslim as the Ku Klux Klan. True adherents of Islam denounce them as murderous psychopaths who are blasphemously using the name of their God.

The fact is these pernicious weeds are in our immediate neighbour’s garden and there is a great likelihood that they might visit ours.

The Internet was swirling with rumours that our national capital might be the next target. There was mild panic. I was flying to Kuala Lumpur at that time and was concerned enough to consider cancelling my flight.

It did not help matters when a number of popular spots in the capitol were publicly named as the likely targets.

Fortunately the police were quick to refute the careless and irresponsible statement. At the same time they announced that they would deploy more personnel to guard key centres.

I did notice the high profile police presence while I was at the capital. Their actions and assurance somewhat allayed our fears.

However, it cannot be denied that there is a danger that some nutcases might choose Malaysia as the site of what they believe to be their martyrdom and the final point of their transit to heaven.

So, the nation has to remain ever vigilant. However, to depend on the police and police work to thwart this evil tide of terrorism is short-sighted. It is akin to using a grass-cutting machine to remove weeds. We might be able to remove the obvious ones but if the condition of their growth remains intact, there will be new weeds sprouting up.

It is axiomatic that to get rid of weeds one must not be content with just cutting them off; one must dig out the root as well. However, in the present situation, we have to go beyond this wise advice.

Not only must we dig out the roots, we must ensure that the ground conditions do not in any way encourage the growth of this pest of a plant.

It appears that the condition for the growth of radicalism does exist in our country.

A recent poll shows that 11 per cent of Malaysians (around 330,000 people) are sympathetic towards Isis.

Even more depressing is a recent statement by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that said the authorities estimated a figure of around 50,000 Isis supporters in Malaysia.

I grew up in an environment and community where I witnessed and experienced the gentle and harmonious attitude of the various races and I find it very hard to accept that there are Malaysians who believe that killing fellow humans in the name of god is a passport to heaven. The intent, words and actions of the supporters of Isis do.

I believe some politicians have created fertile ground for these misfits to grow.

Over the years they have blatantly used our official religion as the ultimate and supreme political tool of control and to settle arguments.

It seems now, all it takes to justify one’s position is to predicate it with some selected quotes from the Holy Book. Humanity and good sense are being relegated to very far back seats.

The very mention of the Almighty’s name and the use of religious language is enough to nullify some minds.

These emasculated minds are willing to believe whatever the suitably attired individuals are saying if they sprinkle their exhortations with choice phrases from the Holy Book.

Despite Isis members’ brazen cruelty and inhuman actions, which should be abhorrent to any decent human, as well as the fact that they are thousands of miles away, are able to hold sway over many of the enfeebled minds.

The battleground is the mind; we have to render them unsuitable for pernicious weeds.