The perils of polarisation

Controversial subject: The irony is that moderate supporters of Macron would say exactly the same thing that Dr Mahathir supporters are saying – that the remarks were taken out of context.

MY original intent for this week’s column was to write about how the whole of Malaysia now needs to focus on helping Sabah.

My apologies for this change in subject.

I do still believe Sabah deserves much more attention than it’s getting, and I hope that we will all try to do our part in making sure Sabah – which should always get its proper due as part of the Federation of Malaysia – gets the aid that it needs as it goes through one of it’s most difficult challenges ever.

Last Thursday, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad created an international stir when he posted a thread on Twitter, which included this line: “Muslims have a right to be angry and to kill millions of French people for the massacres of the past.”

Amid the initial uproar, some of Dr Mahathir’s supporters argued that the line had been taken out of context.

What he supposedly meant was that in his view, there were sufficient historical atrocities committed by the French against Muslims that Muslims would be morally justified in killing millions of French in retaliation.

But, Dr Mahathir added, the Muslims do not apply this eye for an eye logic, and so neither should France.

People who support and like Dr Mahathir will likely believe that his earlier statement was thus overblown and simply taken out of context.

A few extremists may even cheer him on and support him openly.

I imagine that most people, however, were shocked at what he said, and will not find the arguments regarding “context” particularly convincing.

Dr Wong Chin Huat made a post on Facebook about the perils and illogicity of holding present generations responsible for the atrocities of the distant past.

I agree, in that following such a line of reasoning would create an infinitely long back and forth list of recriminations and blame – one that is unlikely to help us in the here and now.

I am not here today, however, to attack or defend Dr Mahathir at length.

My only major comment perhaps is that he is a 95-year-old man, who represents a certain sentiment and worldview – one that will not die out completely with him, but which generally represents an older minority, rather than the wider majority.

His siege mentality regarding what he sees as the victims of history versus more white, western colonial powers have always been extreme.

It was to an extent that even blinded him to the excesses of brutal dictators like Robert Mugabe – who Dr Mahathir glorified while overlooking his responsibility for rampant human rights abuses, killings, and torture in Zimbabwe merely because he was once an anti-colonial hero.

Nevertheless, I believe the main story that we should be paying attention to here and now is the phenomenon of polarisation.

The sparks for the current controversy are issues that are a minefield of sensitivities.

One could argue that the original controversy was the caricature drawings of the Prophet Muhammad in France by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

I completely sympathise with all Muslims who found these drawings offensive, and with their calls that these drawings should not be published.

I also believe that this controversy should be resolved without any resorting to violence.

French President Emmanuel Macron ignited worldwide controversy when his government referred to the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty as an act of “terrorism” and thereafter went on to comment that “Islam is a religion that is in crisis all over the world today”.

I find it most regretful that Macron would say such a thing.

I am imagining that French embassies around the world that are now finding themselves as targets of protests are reacting the same way, albeit in private.

There is some irony, of course, in that moderate supporters of Macron would say exactly the same thing that Dr Mahathir supporters are saying – that the remarks were taken out of context.

A case can be made – by those who have taken the time to read the speech or posting in full – that both men’s quotes indeed did not represent the spirit of their whole speech or writing.

As a communications professional, however, I posit that it does not matter.

In our day and age especially, an inflammatory quote takes on a life of its own almost immediately and becomes like an uncontrollable forest fire.

No matter how many people point to the more moderate or reasonable things mentioned in either Macron’s speech or Dr Mahathir’s postings, the damage has been done, and the raging polemics will, in essence, ignore all calls for reason and moderation.

The saddest part of this is how it will stoke even further polarisation, and cause gravitation towards both extreme ends of the spectrum.

In France itself, we have already seen more tragic killings in the aftermath of this controversy.

One sometimes wonders whether such world leaders really have no idea what kind of effect their words can have – in many cases literally causing the deaths of others.

It would seem unlikely that they are that ignorant. But if they are not ignorant, then one of the only other plausible explanations for their actions is that they are willing to risk the lives of others, merely to further their own political careers and aspirations.

It’s hard to describe just how disgusting that thought is.

As an outsider of extremely limited influence, I can’t say I feel that someone like me will be able to do too much to contain what is now becoming a global controversy.

In our own lives and small spaces, however, If nothing else, the rest of us should take great care to learn from these lessons.

We must build systems that never, ever incentivise hate-mongering; there is no place for political or electoral systems where people plausibly believe they can further their selfish goals by stirring hatred between groups.

Finally, we must do our best in our own small circles of influence to affirm moderation and secure the middle ground.

Malaysians who reject violence and embrace a deep and abiding mutual respect among religions should take this opportunity to reaffirm their shared commitment to these values. That is our only hope for the future.

Nathaniel Tan works with Projek Wawasan Rakyat. He hopes Malaysians will help the many helping Sabah listed here: https://kitajagakita.com/collections/ingin-membantu-want-to-help/sabah.

The views expressed here are solely his own.