Commentary: Why did Anwar Ibrahim welcome a controversial Indonesian preacher?

SINGAPORE: On Jul 13, Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara visited Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and apparently stayed for an hour’s conversation. 

The controversial preacher has been barred from entering several countries, including being denied entry into Singapore on May 16, 2022. This is due to his extremist views, which include espousing physical violence and animosity towards non-Muslims.

While the Singapore government’s actions were perceived by some Muslims as Islamophobic, other places including Hong Kong, Timor Leste, the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland, have also barred Somad from crossing their borders. This reflects the wariness with which several governments regard his questionable teachings and views.

ANTITHETICAL TO MALAYSIA'S MULTIRELIGIOUS SOCIETY

Views such as Somad’s should be antithetical to a multireligious society like Malaysia, what more to the country’s prime minister. It is thus surprising that Anwar Ibrahim so warmly welcomed such a controversial preacher to Putrajaya. 

In our view, this incident can be seen as a self-inflicted shot in the foot to Anwar’s framework of Malaysia Madani, which he has touted as the foundation for a more progressive Malaysia that embraces diversity and respect for all, among other core principles.

What is more, Malaysia seemingly welcomed Somad with open arms. Not only did he go straight from the airport to Putrajaya to meet Anwar, posting on social media about how he spent an hour with Anwar in his office, but Somad also made a courtesy call to Melaka Governor Mohd Ali Rustam.

He stayed on to lecture at Dataran Sejarah, Ayer Keroh, at a celebration commemorating the Islamic new year. Somad’s presence was said to have triggered a “tsunami of believers”, pulling in about 50,000 attendees. In the same audience were Mohd Ali Rustam, other state government officials and local preachers.

It was not the first time that Somad visited Malaysia. In 2019, he visited Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan in February, and Sabah in September. 

A quick survey of comments on his Instagram posts about this year’s visit shows his followers in Indonesia lamenting that he is poorly received in his own country but treated with respect and admiration elsewhere. The fact that Indonesia’s government views one of its own citizens with some suspicion should speak for itself.

SANCTIONED BY MALAYSIA’S POLITICIANS AND ROYALTY

On Jul 14, Somad lectured at Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque in Shah Alam, Selangor. In the audience was the queen consort of the Sultan of Selangor.

Preachers, whether local or foreign, are required to obtain a licence from a state’s Islamic Religious Council, which is headed by the Malay ruler, before they can preach in a given state. Thus, this lecture was clearly sanctioned by the top state leadership.

Somad also visited a naval fleet in Lumut, Perak, gave an evening lecture to 36,000 people at a stadium in Perak and delivered another lecture in one of the state’s mosques. Upon his return to Kuala Lumpur on Jul 15, he gave an evening lecture at Dataran Merdeka dressed in traditional Malay gear. The symbolism of the traditional dress (tanjak) may be interpreted by some as a nod to more conservative or even right-wing groups in Malaysia.

Somad’s time in Malaysia was a grand affair from start to end. He met not just the foremost Malaysian leader but even royalty and other politicians. On the day of his departure, Jul 16, Somad received a grand farewell, leaving on a private jet arranged by a Malaysian aviation firm.

AT ODDS WITH EMPHASIS ON “MODERATION”

Reflecting on his meeting with Somad, Anwar stated that they “agreed on the importance of preaching about Islam in a manner that is based on moderation and wisdom”. However, Anwar’s emphasis on “moderation” is clearly at odds with the well-known extremist views Somad espouses.

It is highly unlikely that Anwar is ignorant about the controversy that surrounds Somad. 

Aside from legitimising the use of violence against and referring to non-Muslims as infidels (a derogatory usage of kafir), Somad’s other views include supporting an Islamic caliphate and the implementation of hudud law, prohibiting Muslims from wishing Christians a “Merry Christmas”, and dismissing dialogue between Sunnis and Shias as void due to the perceived fundamental differences between the sects.

The six core principles of Malaysia Madani are sustainability, prosperity, innovation, respect, trust and compassion. These are useful guiding principles but other aspects of the framework might be inaccessible to the Malay-Muslim masses.

For example, the Majlis Ilmu Madani lecture series aimed at explaining the meaning of a Madani nation to the Malaysian masses is spearheaded by international Islamic scholars who are almost unknown to the audience. 

The ideas in these lectures run contrary to more conservative ideas which have taken root in local discourses, which belies the lectures’ effectiveness.

PLAYING WITH FIRE

Ironically, with his open welcome to Somad, Anwar might have further jeopardised the strength and popularity of his Madani framework.

By embracing a preacher whose values are starkly opposed to the values that Malaysia Madani promotes, what more one whose speech and sermons lack religious depth but encourage inter-religious conflict, Anwar might be playing with fire.

It is a puzzle that Malaysia’s prime minister seemingly endorsed this preacher, even if Somad may have ardent followers among certain segments of the country’s Muslim population.

Mohd Faizal Musa is Visiting Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. Afra Alatas is Research Officer in the Regional Social and Cultural Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. The commentary first appeared on the Institute’s blog, Fulcrum.