A survey by Politweets shows that some Malaysians fear that the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement will invalidate Islamic laws and trigger a wave of prostitution, alcohol consumption, pornography and other addictions.
In a survey of 600 Twitter users conducted between January 18 and February 8, Politweet found that 7.5 percent of them opposed the TPP for “Islamic reasons” and believed the agreement would result in an influx of “foreign culture” that might “corrupt” society understanding Islam.
“These users opposed TPP on religious grounds. The most popular reasons include…[they] believes that Islamic laws will no longer apply under the TPP,” Politweet said.
“It would affect prohibitions on alcohol, prostitution, pornography, gambling, restrictions on the sale of Bibles, the closure of restaurants during the fasting month, restrictions on the location of pig farms, and the freedom to attend Friday prayers.”
Some also believed that TPP would prompt the removal of halal (kosher) logos from Malaysian products.
The halal logo that appears on products and restaurants is a problem of great religious importance to Malaysian Muslims, because it helps them be sure that they eat only halal products.
Given how competitive politics has grow to be in Malaysia, Islam has grow to be a political football between the ruling party and the opposition
Analysts say such views reflect growing conservatism in Malaysia and the exploitation of Malaysia’s bumiputera, or indigenous people, by religious conservatives and business parties against free trade.
“TPP is increasingly being used as a conspiracy concocted by religious conservatives and indigenous commercial classes to gain support for their goals of continued economic protection and preferential treatment,” said Ibrahim Suffian, director of independent pollster Merdeka Center.
Malaysia has practiced affirmative motion for the reason that early Seventies, under which bumiputeras receive preferential treatment in education, the economy, housing and more.
“Given the prevalence of conservative interpretations of Islam in Malaysia, religion is increasingly being used as a means of social control and increasing political influence,” Ibrahim said.
“Given the competitiveness of politics in Malaysia, Islam has become a political game between the ruling party and the opposition.
“Social attitudes are cyclical and Malaysians currently seem to be more conservative. “This is likely to have political and economic implications for a decade or two.”
Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ruling coalition, Barisan National (BN), lost its two-thirds majority within the last general election in 2013. Najib blamed the defection of Chinese voters and as a substitute began courting Islamists, deepening the country’s pockets of spiritual conservatism.
“I think the concerns expressed in the survey go beyond the TTP because Islamism has always been an institutional barrier in the country,” said analyst Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani of business consultancy BowerGroupAsia (BGA).
“But the situation was allowed to escalate following Barisan Nasional’s failure to woo Chinese voters in the previous election.
“After that, it was time for Umno [Najib’s party] political courtship of the Islamist PAS party and discussion on the implementation of Islamic law. While Umno’s courtship was purely political and proved effective… it also inflamed or further strengthened conservative segments of the Malay community.”
The TPP is the centerpiece of the free trade agreement signed by US President Barack Obama, seen by many as an try to counter China’s economic influence within the region. The TPP covers 12 countries within the Asia-Pacific region, including Malaysia, which signed the pact in February.
