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The Prime Minister Prepares for An Ecumenical Elections

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Mahathir Mohamed, officially calls on Pope John Paul II next month. Roman Catholics in Malaysia hope it would be more, that the Papal Father would visit Malaysia. The MCA president, Dato' Seri Ling Liong Sik, is behind moves to have the Dalai Lama visit. Even if the MIC leader, Dato' Seri S. Samy Vellu, could not persuade the foremost Hindu cleric, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi, to visit, the general elections widely expected next year, would be amidst a frenzy of ecumenical amity. For this interest in getting religious heads to visit is to tighten the BN's continuing hold on the Malaysian electorate. It already has its impact: every political leader in the Opposition thinks it a wonderful idea.

Dr Mahathir is unsure of his ground. So, he offhandedly says he would consult the Cabinet if he should meet the Pope, then says it would allow him to, and spins tales so the Malay would believe he goes to the Vatican in the national interest. Since the Pope and the Prime Minister are the worlds peripatetic travellers, more diplomatic efforts need to made sure that one is where he ought to be. It is not proper for the Pope and Prime Minister than when one come to visit, the other is in Ougadougou. Besides, diplomatic visits require a massive scheduling and careful planning that when the Pope is ready to meet the Prime Minister, it is with much diplomacy and negotiations before hand. And the Pope would not ask Dr Mahathir to visit unless he has expressed an intention before hand.

Next year, Dr Mahathir would preside over the meeting of Islamic heads of state in Putra Jaya. He must, as courtesy, invite the Pope to Malaysia, and it is a safe bet, if the Pope's health allows it, he would before the general elections expected next year. Dr Ling believes the Dalai Lama's visit would make the Chinese community forget its frustrations at the MCA, and vote the BN in with a larger majority. Even if the Shankaracharya cannot visit, Malaysian Indians are told they are better than they are depicted, whose contributions to the nation are ignored in the stereotyping of Indians.

So, a conference is held next month to show how good and effective the Indians are. And fitting that the conference was first mooted amidst aimless chatter at the Long Bar of the Royal Selangor Club: its organisers, not known for their commitment to the community, are mostly retired officials whose interest in the community rise with each year of retirement. It is done exclusively, with a belief in the organiser's own importance and a sudden interest in the community. And done so it would not offend the Indian powers-that-be. As usual, it is held with exquisite bad timing: if it had been held a year hence, it could at least have collected a few extra Indian votes.

Dr Mahathir deftly neutralised PAS, after he sidelined its president, Dato' Fadhil Noor, at a forum on Palestine, by making him agree that Malay unity must not be sidelined by the likes of Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the jailed former deputy prime minister. It put PAS so defensive that Dato' Fadhil is forced to justify the pact. But Dr Mahathir, with shrewd strategic logic, had won when he took second billing at the rally. Dato' Fadhil has since told friends Dato' Seri Anwar cannot be sidelined that easily -- not yet.

The Papal and Dalai Lama visits to Malaysia are not plain sailing. When the Pope visited Singapore a few years ago, the Malays in Malaysia were as nervous as when Israel's president visited the island. They saw it as a challenge to their Islamic faith. Dr Mahathir, having got the Malay on his side for the general elections, is prepared to risk a Papal visit if it is before the general elections, if only for a day visit, to get the Roman Catholics on his side.

But could the Pope visit without accruing benefit for the Church? As it is, the Malaysian government has, as policy, sidestepped a Vatican request for a Papal Nuncio in Kuala Lumpur. It restricts sharply Catholic schools in Malaysia, forcing them even to adopt non-Church names. A Catholic school education is not what it once was. Even the government is worried at this that they want the Roman Catholic Church to set up a parallel system of education completely under its control to improve the quality of education in schools. There must be greater respect for land tenure for its premises, which include school grounds. And, no doubt, a guarantee it would be enforced long after the visit and general elections. The faith, and others, is restrained such that it is under threat. Every non-Islamic religion in Malaysia has its own tale of woe over how restrictive the government is towards them.

The Malaysian reticience to invite the Dalai Lama is the fear of upsetting China. But if it would bring in the vote of those who otherwise would not, Dr Mahathir would willingly meet an army of howling scimitar-drawn Chinese to welcome the Dalai Lama, provided, like the Pope, he visits before the general election. He needs them as electoral strategy. The visit will go down well amongst Malaysian Roman Catholics, and would ensure an easy victory in Sabah, where Roman Catholicism is at its strongest. One sees this ecumenical and multiracial approach in well-placed newspaper advertisements, to tell Malaysians that Indians and Chinese are part of the Malaysian worldview, and their great men are Malaysia's too. This instant BN ecumenism, and the Opposition not knowing whether it comes or goes, would ensure another BN landslide victory.

M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my