KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — Religious conservatism is being used to perpetuate the Malay-Muslim community’s dependency on the patronage and “protection” of the ruling class, Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari suggested today.

Consequently, Islamic authorities’ clampdown on ideologies such as secularism and liberalism is a part of preserving the dominance that the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition has over the people, asserted the DAP MP.

“It’s clear greater freedom doesn’t pose any threat on Islam. Malaysian authority fears the freedom that secularism and liberalism entail,” the Penang Institute chief executive said while officiating the Symposium on Islam, Democracy and Secularism here.

“They fear losing their ideological monopoly over the people, and hence their political legitimacy,” he added, referring to the status quo.

Zairil said the Malay fear of losing their identity took root in the community’s psyche following the signing of the Pangkor Treaty in 1874, which restricted the previously absolute power of Malay rulers to just matters of culture and religion.

“This feudal relationship between the ruling class and its masters had to be maintained. Hence the myth of Malay identity will be lost without a higher authority to protect it,” said Zairil.

This has started in the government assuming the role of the defender of Malay-Muslim culture, he said, which resulted in the creation of several Islamic institutions starting from the 1970s.

Over the years, this caused the concepts of “secularism” and “liberalism” to take on negative connotation, Zairil said who argued that the two philosophies will instead strengthen Islam.

“A secular state based on democratic ideals will emancipate religion out of the vested interests of the State,” he added.

The symposium today was co-organised Penang Institute and the Islamic Renaissance Front, and featured Dr Nader Hashemi from University of Denver, USA, and PAS Research Centre CEO Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Just in April, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that Islam is now being tested by new threats under the guise of humanism, secularism, liberalism and human rights.

Malaysia’s foremost religious authority JAKIM had also warned Muslims through Friday sermons nationwide against a conspiracy by “enemies of Islam” to manipulate them through ideas like secularism, pluralism, socialism, feminism and positivism.

* A previous version of the article incorrectly identified Zairil Khir Johari as Bayan Baru MP. The report has since been corrected.