‘Alien’ concepts such as ‘kafir harbi’ have no place in Malaysia, MCA says

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — The MCA has lashed out over the use of Arabic terms “kafir harbi” and “kafir dhimmi” to label non-Muslims, describing such concepts as "alien" to the country's legal system and Constitution.

The Barisan Nasional component party’s religious and harmony bureau chairman Datuk Ti Lian Ker said the recent debate and use of such terms were disturbing and could lead to greater confusion, prejudice and chaos among Malaysians.

"Words ‘alien’ or not provided in our legal system or Constitution should not be introduced or referred to with a semblance of legal force or authority when it has none in our legal system.

"We are all citizens under the Federal Constitution that is the highest law of the land. There is no necessity to introduce words or concepts ‘alien’ to our legal system which will only create further divide or in derogation of fellow citizens," he said in a statement.

Ti warned the two terms can lead to more prejudices, and even aggressions or physical violence after they enter public discussion.

“The recent developments and high profile discussions of ‘kafir harbi’ is not the least bit healthy towards nation building and cementing unity and harmony in diversity,” Ti said.

“This is akin to giving recognition to such concepts whereby there is provided justification to ‘collect taxes’ or ‘drawing of blood’ allowing some irresponsible souls to take the opportunity to seek tithes, offerings for protection, running amok or going into a rampage on peoples who hold separate ideology or faith, et cetera.”

The terms “kafir harbi” and “kafir dhimmi” are archaic theocratic terms referring to “belligerent infidels” and “protected infidels” respectively, allowing the bloodshed of the former by Muslims.

Pahang Mufti Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Osman recently made headlines for labelling those against a private member’s bill aiming to strengthen the Shariah Courts as “kafir harbi” who are against Islam.

But he has since defended his statement by saying his remark was not meant to be a sanction for the slaughter of non-Muslims.