in search of an identity

8/4/2019 In Search of an Identity

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TheologicalAnthropology

StAlphonsusTheologicalandMissionInstitute

TerenceWeeC.Ss.R

In Search of an Identity:

Appropriating the framework of The HumanCommunity within a Malaysian Context


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TableofContents

Introduction....................................................................................................................................1

Understandingthesociety.............................................................................................................2

HistoryandIdeology...................................................................................................................2

Race............................................................................................................................................3

PoliticsandEconomics...............................................................................................................5

Religion.......................................................................................................................................7

SociologicalAnalysis.......................................................................................................................9

Theologicalappropriation............................................................................................................12

TheChristianChallenge............................................................................................................13

KnowYourself.......................................................................................................................13

NurturingtheFaithwithintheCommunity..........................................................................14

CommunionwithintheFaithCommunity............................................................................14

CommunionwiththewholeSociety....................................................................................15

TheCalltobePropheticAgentsofHopeandChange..........................................................17

Conclusion....................................................................................................................................18

BIBLIOGRAPHY:.............................................................................................................................19

Figures

Figure1.RacialDistributionBetween1957(Independence)and2004(Current)..........................4

Figure2.TheReligionsinMalaysia(2005).....................................................................................7

Tables

Table 1.Mean monthly household income by ethnic group andstratum, Peninsular Malaysia,

19702002(MalaysianRinggit(RM)).............................................................................................6


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InSearchofanIdentity

Inthesepastyearsofnation-building,wehavenotbecomelessMalay,less

Indian,orlessChinesebutwehaveallbecomemoreMalaysian.

LingLiongSik,MalaysianChineseAssociation,

Secretary-GeneralsReport1993:9

IntroductionMalaysiaisprobablythemostuniquecountryinSouth-EastAsiaintermsofitsethnic

diversity and cultural plurality. Unlike many of its neighbouring countries, which have spent

greatefforttonationalizeitscitizenintoauniformlot,Malaysiahad,duringitsindependence

negotiationknownasthebargain1,decidedtolettheindividualraces(withstrongmajorityof

Malays,ChineseandIndians)preservetheirculturalrootsandidentifyasapartofadiverse

whole.

Without dwelling into the pros and cons of the decision, the move had definitely

created a unique sociological reality. For most Asian countries, citizens generally identify

themselvesprimarilywith their nationality.However,Malaysians tendto identify themselves

with their race prior to their nationality. It is common to hear Malaysians introducing

themselvesasMalaysianChinese/Indians/EurasianratherthanjustMalaysians.

Asidefromthestrongethnicidentity,anotheruniquefeatureofthecountryisalsoits

generalfreedomforpeopletopracticetheirownreligion2.Religioustensionsatthemicro-level

areunavoidable,butwithinthemacro-levelallreligionsstillflourishandgrow.

WiththeseandotherfactorsimbuedwithinthesocietalstructureofMalaysia,itisno

wonderthatevenuptillnow,thesearchforanationalidentityofthecountryisstillon-going

and evolving. Some obvious manifestation of this is the recent move to create national

greetinggesture,somethingsimilartotheinternationallywellknowkonichiwa-bowgesture

of the Japanese, sawadee-wai gesture of the Thais or even the manopo gesture of the

Filipinos.Theproposedgestureofputtingtherighthandacrossonesheartwithaslightbow

havenotreallytookflightyetandmanydebatesarestillon-goingastohowtrulythegesture

canbeinternalizedastheuniversalgreetingstyleofthecountry.

1See ___, Culture of MalaysiaHistory and Ethnic Relations, Urbanism, Architecture and the Use of Space,

Everyculture.com,http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Malaysia.html2AlthoughIslamisthenationalreligionofMalaysia,theconstitutionofthecountryensuresfreedomtopractice

anyreligionandtheindividual'srighttoworship,withtheexceptionthatpublicevangelizationofotherreligious

grouptoaMuslim(Article11(4)oftheFederalConstitutionofMalaysia)isprohibitedandconversionawayfrom

Islam is highly discouraged (partlydue to the fact it is extremely difficult for Muslimsto convert,as there are

seriousimplicationsunderIslamiclaw.


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RecentlyanacclaimedMalaysianartist,PeterTeo,pioneereda15Malaysia3project.It

gatheredsomeofthebestyoung-filmmakersofthecountrytoproduce15shortfilmsasaform

self-reflectionofMalaysiasidentitythroughasocial-politicalperspective.Theresultsofwhich

wasapoignantandpowerfulvisualrepresentationofthecomplexityofthesocialdynamicsof

Malaysia. It garnered tremendous resonance among the huge pool of viewers, who also

expressedtheirunifiedvoiceoftheircontinualsearchofwhatistrulyMalaysia.

ThecurrentPrimeMinisterDatukSeriNajibRazakalsospearheadedthe1Malaysia4

campaign to promote unity and mutual respect and trust among the different ethnic

communitiesinMalaysia.Itstirredupgreatamountofheatedrhetoriconthetrickinessand

mix-sentimentofsuchgoal.Inshort,thisideologyisaverygoodstart,butisfarfromblossom

fruition.

Undersuchcircumstances,howwouldCatholicssituatethemselveswithinthegrowing

identityofthecountry?Howwouldtheybestserveandproclaimthefaith?Howcouldtheybestseetheirrolewithinthesociety?

IwouldthereforeliketoexplorethissearchthroughtheparadigmofCatholics,studying

througha socialandtheologicalanthropologicalframework.Specialattentionwouldbe given

totheappropriationofanthropologicalconceptofhumancommunity.Itismyhopethatthis

studycouldshedsomelightastowhatisthebestself-identityaCatholiccanassumesoasto

betrueproclaimersoftheKingdomofGodinauniqueandtryingsociety.

UnderstandingthesocietyBeforewedelvefurtherintothesearchforidentity,itwouldbeofgreathelptohavea

moreindepthlookintovariousaspectsofMalaysiansocietyinordertohaveabettergraspof

thecomplexityofthesituation,andgatherpointswhichmakethesearchforaunifiedidentity

challenging.

HistoryandIdeology

Malaysia isconsidered tobe a Malay dominated plural society and the freedom of

practicingreligionisgrantedtoeveryone.ThisconceptionofMalayhegemonicruleis aresult

of the political bargaining between the major ethnic political groups of Malaysia, UMNO

(United Malays National Organization), MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) and MIC

315MalaysiaisaprojectisproducedbyPeteTeoandsponsoredbyP1,showcasing15shortfilmsdirectedbywell

known local directors, and featuring socio-political subject matters from corruption, race relations, inflation,

Islamic banking, social apathy, ethical commerce, pedophilia, government health warnings and so on. See

http://15malaysia.com4Seehttp://www.1malaysia.com.my


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(MalaysianIndianCongress)duringtheformationofpost-colonialMalaysia(atthattimecalled

Malaya)in1957.Asaresultofthebargaining,non-MalayethnicgroupssuchastheChineseand

Indiansweregrantedcitizenshipandtheirlegitimateinterests(economicrights),theirrightsof

citizenshipand residenceaswellas theirfreedomtopreserve,practiceandpropagatetheir

religion,cultureandlanguagewererecognized.5

Enshrined in the Malaysian constitutions6

were these ideologies of racial, religious,

culturalandeconomicalfreedomandharmony.

Equality before the law and protection by the law is stated in Article 8 of the

constitution:

thereshallbenodiscriminationagainstcitizensonthegroundonlyofreligion,race,

descent, gender or place of birth in any law or in the appointment to any office or

employmentunderapublicauthorityorcarryingonofanytrade,business,profession,

vocationoremployment.

ReligiousfreedomisensuredinArticle11:

Everypersonhastherighttopropagatehisreligion,butstatelawand,inrespectofthe

Federal Territory, federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religion,

doctrine or belief among persons professing the Muslim religion. There is, however,

freedomtocarryonmissionaryworkamongnon-Muslims.

However, these ideologies, wonderful as they may be, do have its exceptions and

limitations, along with the challenges in actualization. We would now therefore study the

various aspects, looking intothe twosocial reality7to draw out the issues, challenges and

complexitiesineacharea.

Race

Theracialpopulationdistributionhadmorphedquitesignificantlysincethetimeofthe

countrys independence, as shown in Figure.1. This slow and steady change in the racial

distribution is caused mainly by government policies encouraging increase birth rate among

5ZainahIbrahim,WhatIslam,WhoseIslam?:SistersinIslamandtheStruggleforWomensRightsinThePoliticsof

Multiculturalism.Ed.RWHefner.(Honolulu:UniversityofHawaiiPress,2001),128.6ConstitutionofMalaysia.http://confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/malaysia.pdf

7ThetwosocialrealityisthesociologicalapproachsuggestedbyA.SamsultostudytheMalaysiansociety.It

statesthatinmostsocialphenomenon,identityformationtakesplacewithina"twosocialreality"context:first,

the"authority-defined"socialreality,onewhichisauthoritativelydefinedbypeoplewhoarepartofthedominant

powerstructure;and,second,the"everyday-defined"socialreality,onewhichisexperiencedbythepeopleinthe

courseoftheireverydaylife.Thesetwosocialrealitiesexistsidebysideatanygiventime.SeeSamsulA,Debating

aboutIdentityinMalaysia:ADiscourseAnalysis.SoutheastAsianStudies34,no.3(December1996):477.


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bumiputras8, providing various incentives and loans to families above certain household

number.ThesepoliciesderivedtheirbasisinthecontroversialandoftenquotedArticle153in

theconstitutionofMalaysia.9

Figure1.RacialDistributionBetween1957(Independence)and2004(Current)

Ontheotherhand,familyofotherraces,facingthethreatofeconomicalinflationand

educationalcost,tendtocontrolthesizeofthefamilytosmallernumbers.

Thesteadyreductionofnon-Malayspopulationisstartingtosetoffredalertsamong

bothnon-Malaypoliticiansandcitizensalike.SingaporesministermentorLeeKuanYewvery

recentlypredictedthat MalaysianChinesewould continueto dwindle in numbers,andin 20

yearstime,theleadership[ofMalaysia]wouldvaluetheChinesepopulationlessandless.He

commentedfurtherthatVerysoon,[theChinese]willbecompletelyengulfedbythepowerful

wavesofaggressiveIslamisation.10

TheChinesepoliticalpartieshavebeensquabblingabouttheissuewithoutseemingly

headinganywhere,andpeopleonthegroundarestartingtogetfrustratedaboutthewhole

matter. Many commentators and analysts are encouraging all to be more focused, more

hopeful,andsearchformoreusefulsolutionsandhigh-calibreandfarsightedleadership.

8BumiputraisaMalaytermwidelyusedinMalaysia.Ithasawidedefinitionbutisgenerallyacceptedtorefertoindigenous people and muslims with Malay tradition, and it recognizes the "special position" of these people

providedintheFederalConstitutionofMalaysia.9According to this article, those who profess the religion of Islam, habitually speak the Malay language, and

conformtoMalaycustomsare entitledfor special reservationof quotasin three specificareas:publicservices,

education, and business licenses, without harming the rights of other ethnic groups. Thus it is important to

emphasizethatMalaysiaisfoundednotonindividualrightsbutonwhatpoliticaltheoristshavecometoreferto

asethnicallydifferentiatedcitizenship. 10

TayTianYan,TheClearandPresentDanger,SinChewDaily,October21,2009.

Malays

55%

Chinese

35%

Indians

10%

1957

Malays

61%

Chinese

24%

Indians

7%

others

8%

2004


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Despite this change in racial percentage, the various races besides the bumiputras

(Chinese, Indian, and Eurasian) had all the while held strong to their racial identity. This is

mainlysustainedthroughthecountryseducationsystemwhichconsistsofvernacular(jenis)

schools,allowingeachracetostudyintheirownnativelanguage.

That aside, each race had also put in tremendous effort to aid in individual racial

identification. The Chinese has maintained one of the highest standards in Chinese literacy

among other South East Asian countries, and a core Chinese literary elite has ensured the

sustenanceandpromotionofthelanguageandculturethroughmanagingChineseIndependent

Schools all across the country and running the Mandarin press.11

The Indians had also

maintained theirhigh levelof native literacyandculture throughtheschoolsandthe Indian

press.

PoliticsandEconomics

Makingarathersimplifiedandgeneralizedassessment(butonewitha highamountof

truthinit),onecansaythatintheearlydaysofindependence,theMalaysemphasizedpolitics

while the Chinese had set their eyes on developing businessand economics. Therefore, the

politicalarenawasmainlyadministeredbytheMalayswhiletheChineseheldastrongstakein

theeconomicalarenaofthecountry.

However,economicinequalitytriggeredtheeruptionoftheworstethnicviolenceever

seeninthecountryonMay13,1969.

Whatstartedoutas avictory celebrationinKualaLumpurfortheChineseopposition

party,DAP(DemocraticActionParty)whowonasignificantnumberofseatsduringthe

generalelectionofthatyear,endedupprovokingtheMalaycommunityinthecity.This

resulted incounterdemonstrationswhichultimatelyresultedin severaldaysof ethnic

riots between the Malays and the Chinese This event highlighted the crisis which

plaguedtheyoungnation-stateasshestruggledtodiscoverheridentityandseekthe

commonsocialwillinthemidstofthemulti-culturalsettingofMalaysia.12

Thiseventcatalyzedthe introductionoftheNewEconomicPolicy(NEP),anaffirmative

actionbasedpolicyasa measuretoeradicatepovertyamongsttheMalays,anditattemptsto

incorporateMalaysintotheMalaysianeconomyandtoproducemoremiddle-classMalays.This

policy initially drew outrage from the Chinese community but they were forced to silently

acquiesce to the demands of NEP due to their lack of political power. As a result, Chinese

businessmenlearnedtoadapttothepolicybyworkingwiththeMalaystoproduceasuccessful

andhealthyworkingrelationship.

11

SeeWenCui,[TheSpiritofChineseEducationPromotionwithinMalaysianChineseSociety],GuangHuadaily,Septemper13,2001.12

ChirstopherR.Yeoh,"Malaysia,trulyAsia?ReligiousPluralisminMalaysia."ThePluralismProject.:13.


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The NEP was successful in producing a new generation of middle-class Malays while

eradicatingpovertyatthesametime.ThelevelofeducationamongtheMalaysalsoimproved

tremendously. It was reported that between the early 1970s and 1993, middle-class Malays

burgeonedfrom18percentto28percentofthepopulation.Table1showstheincometrendof

thevariousracessinceindependencetillnow.

Table1.Meanmonthlyhouseholdincomebyethnicgroupandstratum,PeninsularMalaysia,1970

2002(MalaysianRinggit(RM))

Despite the win-win situation of the above move, many were questioning if this

achievementhasledtonationalunity,understoodintermsof improvedinterethnicrelations.

TherewasstillresidualdiscontentbyminoritygroupsofMalayswhothinkthattheNEPonly

benefittedselectedportionofMalays,andalsosomeoftheminorracialgroups,whofeltthat

theywerefurthermarginalized.

Thislingeringdisgruntlementsparkedsomesocialreactionwithinthecountry.Forthe

Malays,itwassaidthatIslamicinsurgencewasadirectconsequence,anditexacerbatedthe

growinghostilitybetweenMalaysandnon-Malays.VeryrecentlyinNovember2007,morethan10,000 Indians took to the street to protest against unfair treatment against them in many

areasincludingeducation,businessandpolitics.13

13

See Robin Brant, Malaysia's Lingering Ethnic Divide,BBCNews, 4 March, 2008, and Preston Merchant,

MalaysiasIndianCommunityStrugglesforMinorityRights,SAJAForum,4February,2008.


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Although most of these reactions were being dealt with in various forms and the

harmonyofthecountrywasnotgreatlyaffected,theenduringsentimentstillsignalsthestrong

senseofinternalsocialshifttowardsadesirableequilibrium,andeveryoneisstillconstantlyin

searchoftheirstand,theirpositionandtheiridentitywithinthisconstantchange.

Religion

Despite the Muslim majority, Malaysia is not an Islamic state. Instead, Malaysia is

considered to be a Malay dominated plural society and the freedom of practicing other

religions is granted to everyone.14

Figure 2 shows a breakdown of religions in term of

percentageinMalaysia.

ThereligionpercentagedistributioninMalaysiahasremainedrelativelystable,although

due to increased population, the absolute amount has increased throughout the years.

Currently,thereisanestimateofmorethan2millionChristianinthecountry.

Figure2.TheReligionsinMalaysia(2005)

Althoughthesystemofreligioustolerancehascreatedanenvironmentofrelativepeace

onthe surface, religious tension isstill a knownreality within the country.The call ofsome

Muslimtowardstrongerfundamentalismtocombatmoraldecadence,andthelamentofother

religions on the restrictions anddifficulties in evangelizationandgrowth hadbeengraduallysurfacingandithadcausedsomenotabletensionsintherecentpast.

14

ChirstopherR.Yeoh,"Malaysia,trulyAsia?ReligiousPluralisminMalaysia."ThePluralismProject.:2.

Muslim60%

Buddhist

19%

Chrisan

9%

Hindu

6%

Taoism

3%

Other

Religions

2%No

Religion

1%

ReligionsinMalaysia(%)


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Some of the notable recent religious feuds includes that of Lina Joy15

and Revathi

Massosai16

, both cases which attracted great media coverageandgarnering great debate on

howtrulyreligiousfreedomisexercisedinMalaysia.

The Catholics have been having their fare share of religious tension in the countryrecently.EarlierintheyearCatholicswerebeingaccusedoftryingtoconvert2Muslimsina

local university, and lateron, 9 Christianswere arrestedoncharges inwanting toconverta

MuslimtoChristianityintheuniversity.17

On a larger scale, the relatively strong foundation of religious harmony has been

significantly destabilized through the on-going clash on the use of Allah for God in the

countrysweeklyCatholicmagazine.TheMalaysianauthoritythatbannedtheuseofAllahfor

the magazine had reasoned out that the use of this word would confuse the Muslims (As

AllahisusedtodepictGodinIslam).18

WhentherecentcourtrulingcameoutpermittingAllahtobeusedbynon-Muslims,a

seriesofunprecedentedreactionssurfaced.Withindaysoftheruling,11churchesacrossthe

country were targeted, either vandalized with paint splashed on the perimeter, or attacked

with Molotov cocktail bombs.19

Even more unrest was sparked when pig heads were found

outside two of the mosques.20

Although many has commented that these acts were

orchestratedbyaminoritygroupoftroublemakers,andtheeventshadcreatedsomepositive

15

LinaJoyisaMalayconvertfromIslamtoChristianity.Sheappliedtohaveherconversionlegallyrecognizedby

theMalaysiancourts.Thoughherchangeofnamewasrecognizedin1999andsonotedonheridentitycard,herchangeofreligionwasnot(sinceitiswithouttheMahkamahSyariahconfirmationdocument);forthisreason,she

filed suit with the High Court in1999, bypassing theSyariah Court (Islamic court).She later filed suitwith the

FederalCourtin2006.JoyhopestoliveopenlyasaChristian;shewasforcedtogointohidingbythepublicity

surroundinghercase.See___,LinaJoy,,Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lina_Joy16

RevathiMassosaiisaMalaysianwomanwhowasraisedasaHindubutheridentitycarddesignatesherasa

Muslim. Shehas declaredher religion to be Hindu andhas petitioned unsuccessfully to have theword "Islam"

removed from her identity card. Massosai married a Hindu man, but her marriage is not recognized by the

Malaysiangovernment becauseof thereligionissue.Massosaiwas incarceratedforsix monthsin anIslamicre-

educationcampbecauseofherattemptstorenounceIslaminfavouroftheHindureligion.Revathiwasdeniedthe

guardianship of her new born baby and was not allowed to meet her Hindu husband. See ___. Freedom of

ReligioninMalaysia,Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_of_religious_freedom_in_Malaysia17

See___,MALAYSIA:ChristianYouthsAccusedofTryingtoConvertMuslims,UnionofCatholicAsianNews ,15

July,2009.18

See___,Malaysia:"Allah"BannedinCatholicNewspaper,UNHCRRefworld(CommitteetoProtectJournalist) ,

4August,2008.19

See Liz Gooch, Under Cloud of Violence, Malaysian Christians Come Together, The New York Times,

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/world/asia/18iht-church.html, (accessed February 9, 2010). and Robert

Spencer, Malaysia: Even More Churches Firebombed over the use of W ord Allah, Catholic Online,

http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=35163accessedFebruary9,2010.20

See ___, Pig Head left at Malaysia Mosque after Allah Row, BBC News,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8435975.stm,(accessedFebruary2010).


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effect in uniting Christians in their stand21

, along with supports from level headed Muslim

personnel, the tensionshave not yet subsidedand many are still ona high alertfor further

problematicoutbreaksduetheinherentdiscontent.

Allthison-goingtensionhasleftabadtastebehindtheveilofreligioustolerance.Manyarequestioningtheauthoritiesinmanyoftheirmovesanddiscontentmentisrising.

SociologicalAnalysis

Theunderstandingofthesocialdynamicsthroughatheoreticalframeworkwouldideally

help one to disentangle issues that are dramatizing on the surface with its complexity and

intermingling,andthereforeallowsonetoseetheunderlyinginteractionsmoreclearly.

Ashasbeendetailedabove,thesocialsituationofMalaysiaistrulyacomplexone.The

government and political parties have, since the time of independence, tried very hard to

achieve a conducive and harmonious society for the nation. However, due to the inherent

inequality in the independence bargain, the point of balance requires great amount of

understanding,humilityandevencompromisefromallcitizens,andistrulyanincrediblereality

toachieve.

Thereisobviouslyanimbalancethatisstronglyfeltbythepeople,asdiscontentment

anduneaseisbrewingamongthegeneralmasses.Theseinertialenergiesseemtobegrowing

steadily,andaremanifestedinvariouseventsthatareslowlypoppingupacrossthecountry,beitasareactiontopolitical,racialoreconomicalissues.

IwouldfirstlyliketoutilizeHabermasSystem-Lifeworld22

concepttosituatethesocial-

politicalrealityofMalaysia.Duetothehistoricalsituation,sincetheindependencebargain,

therehadalreadybeenastrongexertionofthesystemoverhowthelifeworldwastooperate.

Thevarious politicalparties (presenting primarilydifferentraces) came to theagreement on

howthecountrywouldfunction,statingspecifictermsintheconstitutionoftherightsofthe

citizens.

21

See ___, Malaysia Allah Dispute Under Control Despite Vandalism, Catholic News Agency,

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/malaysian_allah_dispute_under_control_despite_vandalism,

(accessedFebruary9,2010).22

This concept stems mainly from Habermas communicative action theory, which touches on how the

encroachmentofmarketsystemandbureaucraticauthoritiesintodaytodaysocialrelationshipsresultinginthe

erosionofhumanqualities.The lifeworld isbroadlydefinedas therealmof everydaycommunicativelife,and

thesystemisdefinedasgovernmentbureaucracy,legalsystemsandmarketeconomy.


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We could therefore argue that there had already been a strong uncoupling of the

systemandthelifeworldintheveryfirstplace.Itisinawayanecessityforthecountryatthat

time to begin functioning. However, as time went by and the systems colonization of the

lifeworld grew stronger, the lifeworld would undoubtedly sense this distortion in

communicationandstarttoexertreactions,beitconstructiveordestructiveones.

Addingtotheplaneofcomplexityisthecontestationwithintheethnicity.Althoughthe

racial differences within Malaysia are strong, according Stuart Halls theory on ethnicity,

Malaysians could truly see themselves as an ethnic group due to their shared context,

temporalityandculturalaffinitiesthroughthehistoricaldevelopment.

However,manyofthecountrysissuesofdisgruntlementstemmedfromtheinsistentof

onegroup(thebumiputras)toexerthegemonyovertheothers.Again,thishasitsrootsfrom

thecountrysconstitutionarticle153andactualizedinmanypoliciessuchastheNEPandthe

educationalQuota23system.Whileonecouldarguethatthiswastheoriginalagreementofthe bargain, sociologically,the domination ofone groupoverthe others will neverlead to

totalbalanceofethnicity.Thelogicalwayforwardtoachieveanewethnicity,onewherethe

siteofcontestationwithintheethnicitycouldbeeliminated,wouldrequireare-balancingof

allwithintheethnicgroup.Thatwouldentailanalmostaltruisticmoveofthe bumiputrasto

relinquish their special privileges and for the rest to understand and accept the gradual

transition.Afarfetchdreamnodoubt,butonewithraysofhopetricklingdownasmoreand

morebumiputrasthemselvesareopenlydiscussingaboutit.

Some social theories are able to provide insights in dealing with this complicated

situation.Afoundationalunderstandingofthesetheorieswouldprovidegreatergroundingand

realistic push later on when we study the issue through the perspective of theological

anthropology.

Two important aspects from social theorieswouldbediscussed here:1)anunbiased

understanding of the situation and reality (utilizing Pierre Bourdieus conceptual triad of

habitus, capital andfield)24

and 2) act in a manner that would bringpositive changes tothe

situation(utilizingHabermastheoryofcommunicativeaction).

Thepolitical-economical-religious-racialrealityinMalaysiaisthefieldofeachandevery

Malaysian.Itisthelocalitywherethegameisbeingplayed.Unlessonechoosestobetotallypassiveandshuntsoutthesociety,allare,bythenatureofthembeingacitizen,actualplayers

ofthegame-field.

23

See ___, Malaysia- Education System, BookRags, http://www.bookrags.com/research/malaysiaeducation-

system-ema-04(accessed8december,2008).24

ItwouldbeassumedherethatreadershaveabasicunderstandingofthePierreBourdieustriadconcept.


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The important pointhere isthat tobe the positive agentin the field,one must fully

appreciateitshabitusorfeelforthegame.Metaphorically,byhavingthefeelforthegame,

wewillbeabletocontrol,manoeuvreandstrategizehowtobestplaythegame.Thisfeelfor

thegameisonlyachievablebythosewholivewithintherealityandthereforearebeingableto

haveanaturalintuitionofthereality.

Beinginthefieldandimbibingthehabitus,wegettocontrolhowthegameisplayedby

controllingthe capital.Thecapital isthestake whichplayersinvestthemselves in. Itis our

actioninthegameofwhichweusetoaffecttheoutcome.AccordingtoBourdieu,thereare

four main types ofcapital: 1) Economic 2)Cultural 3)Socialand 4)Symbolic.Through proper

usage of these four capitalwe are able to make our voices heard and make changes that

improvethelifeworld-systembalance.

IntheMalaysianreality,therehavebeengoodexamplesoftheutilizationofthe capital

toaffecttheoutcomeof thegame.The15Malaysiaprojectmentionedintheintroductionisone good example.Another example would the online news website Malaysiakini. It is an

independentnewssitethattakesacriticalviewonthepoliticsofMalaysia.Unlikemostnews

sources inMalaysia,Malaysiakini remains free from government regulation and thus widely

consideredtobethecountry'sonlycredible,independentvoice..25

Toaddtothecapital ofthegame,or tobea better and moreattunedpositiveagent

withinthesociety,wecouldutilizeHabermasTheoryofCommunicativeActioninpromoting

bothcriticalthoughtandpracticalaction.26

Whatthetheoryemphasizesisthatasamemberofthesociety,weneedtorationalizeandcriticallyassesstherealminwhichwelivein.Withsuchcriticalthoughtwewouldbeable

to gather consensus, expectations and intentions which we believe would better our life

situations.Wearethenurgedtoapplypracticalaction.Thetheorycallsfor:

active involvement of the actors in the interaction which is governed by binding

consensual norms, which in turn, are defined by their mutual expectations. One

assumptionisthatthepeopleshouldbeabletoexpresstheirintentionstooneanother

in the most truthful and sincere manner. Such communication demands open and

uninterrupted argumentation. It is only through argumentation that people can

determinewhetheranagreementisgenuineorcommunicativelyachieved,aswellas

haveabasisforknowingifwhatisexpressedinwordsoractionisrational.

27

25

___,Malaysiakini,Wikipedia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiakini (accessed9December,2009).26

CarlitoM.Gaspar,HabermasTheoryofCommunicativeAction,PhilippinesStudies47(1999):409.27

Ibid.410.


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Theologicalappropriation

Bourdieu and Habermas prompted and aided us to understand the complex social

situationinMalaysiaandourpositionwithinitinaclearmanner.However,asChristians,we

have an added responsibility and duty in exercising a faith response to the situation.

TheologicalAnthropologypushesusastepforwardinbringingtoourattentionthatwearevery

muchanintegralpartofthesociety,thatthecoreideaofusbeinghumanwouldimplythatwe

arepartoftheHumanCommunity.Thechallengeforuswouldbetotrulyownupandbring

aboutpositivenessasabasicresponsetothisfundamentalChristianidentity.

The Vatican II document Gaudium et Spes (GS) takes great effort to put forth the

messagethatfundamentallywearecreatedtobecommunitarian.GS24statesthat:

God, who has a parentscare for all ofus,desired thatallmen and womenshould

formonefamilyanddealwitheachotherasbrothersandsisters....LoveofGodandof

onesneighbour,then,isthefirstandgreatestcommandment.

TheInternationalTheological Commissionsdocument Communion andStewardship

gives a similar message and emphasizes that we are inherently communitarian as we are

createdintheimageofGod:Human beings are created in the imago Dei precisely as persons capable of a

knowledge and love that are personaland interpersonal. It isof the essence of the

imago Dei in them that these personal beings are relational and social beings,

embraced in a human family whose unity is at once realized and prefigured in the

Church.28

Theconceptisfurtherexpoundedwiththeunderstandingofthetrinity:

God is not a solitary being, but a communion of three Persons. Christianrevelation led to the articulation of the concept of person, and gave it a divine,

Christological, and Trinitarian meaning. In effect, no person is as such alone in the

universe, but is always constituted with others and is summoned to form and

communitywiththem.29

It is within this communitythat onegrowsinidentity andcharacter. It is within the

interdependence with the society that we fully actualize our humanity, for through their

dealingswithothers,throughmutualservice,andthroughfraternalandsororaldialogues,men

andwomendevelopalltheirtalentsandbecomeabletorisetotheirdestiny.30

Itisalsowithinthecommunitythatweexerciseourresponsibilityandroletowardsthe

common good and the upholding ofhuman dignity.Thecommunitarian characterofhuman

28

CommunionandStewardship,40.29

Ibid.41.30

GaudiumetSpes,25.


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existencemeansthatthegoodofeachpersonisboundupwiththegoodofthecommunity.31

We are challenged to uphold the fundamental rights given to all humans, to ensure that

everyoneis affordedthe opportunityto live infull humandignity, and tobring orderto the

societythathasthecommongoodofallpeopleasthebindingprinciple.

Withinthiscontext,wearealsobroughttolightastohowthedeviationfromthiscall

towardscommunitywouldleadonetosin.

without doubt frequent upheavals in the social order are in part the results of

economic, political and social tensions. But at a deeper level they come from

selfishnessandpride,twothingswhichcontaminatetheatmosphereofsocietyaswell.

Asit is, humanbeings are prone toevil, but whenever they are confronted with an

environment where the effects of sin are to be found, they are exposed to further

inducementstosin,whichcanbeovercomeonlybyunremittingeffortwiththehelpof

grace.32

Thus,wearechallengedconstantlytorememberourprimalrolewithinthecommunity,

andindoingso,exerciseourrespectforthehumanperson,respectandloveforenemy,tolive

inhumansolidaritywithresponsibilityandparticipation,andultimatelytoupholdthecommon

good.

TheChristianChallenge

Upontheunderstandingofourrolewithinthecommunity,whataretheconcretesteps

thatwecantaketoexerciseourdutyandresponsibilitywithinthesociety?Inparticular,whatcan the Catholics concretely do within the Malaysian context? The following are some

suggestions:

KnowYourself

Onceagain,thisisthefundamentalcallforCatholicstounderstandtheirrolewithinthe

HumanCommunity.Ashasbeenmentionedrepeatedly,weneedtounderstandtheworkings

ofthesocietyandourconnectionswithinitinanobjectivemanner.

The social theories clearly explained the dynamics going on underneath all thehappeningsintheMalaysiancontext,andhadputforthaframeworkexplainingtheroleofone

withinsociety.Theologically,wehavebeentoldthatitisourfundamentaldutytobepartofthe

31

JudithA.Dwyer,ed.TheNewDictionaryofCatholicSocialThought,(Collegeville,Minnesota:TheLiturgicalPress,

1994),192.32

Ibid.


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communityandthesociety,anditisinexercisingourroleforthecommongoodwithinthe

societythatwefulfilourbasicresponsibility.

The basiccall here isawareness. We need to be aware that we are part of a whole.

Especiallyintermsofexercisingourfaith,weneedtoberemindedconstantlythatwecannotlivetheChristianfaithinexclusion.Ourfaithisnotaprivate,out-of-the-worldbelief,itisinfact

a grounded, relational faith that challenges us to a response within the reality we are in.

HumanswerecreatedbyGodnotforlifeinisolationbutfortheformationofsocialunity.33

NurturingtheFaithwithintheCommunity

Theawarenessthatourfaithismeanttobegroundedwithinthecommunityandthe

societynaturallyleadsto theconclusionthatourspiritualgrowthneedstohappenwithinthe

realityofthesociety.Whatthisimpliesisthatwhatwebelieveinandthesubsequentgrowth

ofourrelationshipwithGodneedstobecontextualizedwithintherealitywearelivingin.

Wearechallengedto experienceandinterprettheGospelmessagewithinoursociety.

WeneedtolookoutforthegoodSamaritaninoursurroundings,tofindthemwithinthepoor

andtherich,withintheMalays,Chinese,IndianandEurasiansinMalaysia.Weneedtoexercise

thebeatitudeswithinthecontextofourusuallives,toliveoutthecallofChristianswithinour

economical,racialandreligioustensions. Wealsoneedtounderstandthechaosofourtimes

asthewayJesusviewhisGreco-Romanpolitical-religiousissues,toexperiencetheKingdomof

GodasJesushaspreacheditwithinourdailyreality,weneedtoseethefaceofJesuswithinthe

fights and arguments of the politicians, religious and ordinary people in Malaysia alike. Ourfaithhastocomealivewithintheinterpersonal-communitarianpresentactualityofoursociety.

Only through this strong grounding of the faith to the community, can our spirituality or

relationshipwithourGodgrowsteadilywithadeeplyrootedbaseandfoundation.

CommunionwithintheFaithCommunity

ItshouldbeclearbynowthatourChristianfaithcannotbenurturedwithinavoidorin

total seclusion. Core to the faith is a relationship. This relationship, tending towards God,

ultimatelyhastobeactualizedinustendingtowardsothers.

Thefirststepforwarduponthisrealizationwouldnaturallybetocomeintosolidarity

with our brothers and sisters sharing the same faith. For this communion with our faith

33

GaudiumetSpes,32.


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community(thechurch)isseenaskindofsacramentorsignofintimateunionwithGod,andof

theunityofallhumankind.34

As we come together and identify ourselves as an integral part of a community of

communion,wearethenabletoassumeourpropheticroleinourlivingwithothers.Wecomeas a unity as we face the social reality. We face the political issues and racial issues not as

individualwithvaryingconcerns,butasamemberofthecommunionofGodstrivingforthe

commongood.

This call, although seemingly obvious, can be a great challenge within the Malaysian

context.Forduetotherealityofthestrongracial-identity,strongsegregationisfoundeven

withinthefaithcommunityitself.WecouldeasilyobservetheseparationbetweentheChinese,

EnglishandTamilspeakingCatholiccommunitieswhotendtosticktothemselvesintermsof

worship and community living. The language and cultural barrier increases the unease for

interminglingandunifiedliturgiesoractivities.

This then pose as the first challenge for us in exercising the call for communion.

Awarenesswascalledforpreviouslyforustounderstandoursituationwithopenarms,butitis

withinthisaspectthatwecanmosttangiblyaffectandbeginchange.Itisonlythroughsuch

acceptance, openness and willingness to go beyond our discomfort and attempt for

communion with our brothers and sisters within our own faith community can we move

forwardtowardthegreatergoalofhumancommunity.It isnotaneasytask,butit isexactly

theChristianchallenge.

Withinsuchmindsetandorientation,ourobjectiveandvisionwouldthenbeaunified

one.Ourconcernsstemfromourrelatednesstoourcommunity.Wemovefromindividualism

towardscommunalcharity,andwegettotrulyliveoutthecallofGodtowardsallChristian,the

call for all men andwomen to the freedom and divine fullness of life in this Kingdom by

enteringintofree,forgivingandlovingrelationshipsinhumancommunity.35

CommunionwiththewholeSociety

Beyondthecommunionwiththemembersofthechurch,wearechallengedtoagreater

realization that the call towards Human Community goes past those of our same faith. Itneedstobeextendedtoallmembersofthesociety.Weneedtolookatthebiggercontextof

thecountry,andultimatelyestablishthecommunionwithallothercitizensofthecountry.Itis

withinthiscommunionthatwearemostchallengedinexercisingourChristianvalues.AsPaul

34

LumenGentium,1.35

BrendanJ.Kelly,TheIndividualinCommunity(Lectures,SATMI,Davao,2010),31.


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putsitinhisletterstothevariouscommunitiesintheNewTestament,weareencouragedtobe

responsiblemembersofsociety,concernedbothforthewell-beingofourowncommunityand

forwhatwasinthewiderpublicinterest.36

TheacceptanceofthisrealityofHumanCommunityandrespondingtoitisbyfarthegreatestcallforuswithintheMalaysiancontext.Weneedtobeawarethatwithinthestruggle

ofsocialequality,withintheracialdisputesandmostofall,withinourreligioustensionsand

conflicts,weareultimatelyone.AsinthewordsofJohannesB.Metz:

AsChristians,wemustevermoreandmoretaketoourselvesinthere-enactmentof

thedescensusChristithoseelementsoftheworldwhicharenotyetassimilatedinto

ourfaith,foritisfromtheworldandfortheworldthatwelive,thisispreciselyhowwe

settheworldfreeinfaith,howweleavetoititsownworldlycharacter.37

What this understanding callsfor isa shiftin paradigm. Whenwesee thosewho are

differentfromusaspartofourcommunity,wewilllearntoseethingsfromtheirlens,thusitallowsustowithholdjudgementsandbiasesforthetimebeingwhilereflectingforsolutions

whichserveforthebettermentofall.Itpreventsusfromlookingatthingsaswefindingways

to disarm or gain victory over the other. Rather, it is all of us coming to a solution that

benefitsall.Inotherwords,thisunderstandingofsolidarityhelpsusbetterinachievingthe

common good. As our late Pope John Paul II often emphasized in his social teachings, such

solidarityhasanimportantplaceinthevisionofajustsocietyinCatholicsocialethics,anditisa

prerequisiteforademocraticsocietycharacterizedbyhumanrights.38

Ofcourse,thisunderstandingtakesonanewlevelofcomplexityasthosewhomwesee

asoneofusmightnotnecessarilythinkthesame.Thecalltowardsthecommongoodmight

notdrawaunisonresponseaspeoplewithdifferentbackgroundandmindsettendtolookat

thingsdifferently.Whatiskeyhereisforuswhounderstandthisframeworktoholdstrongto

thisconvictionandunderstanding.Wearecalledtomaketheworldmoreworldly,tobringit

intoitsown,topreservethebarelysuggested,barelydreamed-ofheightsanddepthsofitsown

worldlynaturewhichhavebeenmadepossiblebygrace,buthavebeenhiddenandobstructed

bysin.39

Amidstthedifficultyandstruggle,weneedtostandoutandanswertothiscallforthe

followinglastchallenge,tobepropheticagentsofhopeandchange.

36Victor Furnish,Uncommon Loveand theCommon Good: Christians as Citizens in theLetters of Paul, in In

SearchoftheCommonGood,PatrickMillerandDennisMcCaaned.(NewYork:T&TClark,2005),58.37

Metz refers more to the Christian role within a secularized world, however, the call could be similarly

appropriatedhere.JohannesB.Metz,ABelieversLookattheWorldinTheChristianandtheWorld:Readingsin

Theology,(NewYork,P.J.Kenedy&Sons,1965),88.38

David Hollenbach, The Global Common Good in a divided World (Presentation, The Australian Catholic

UniversityandUniyaJesuitSocialJusticeCentre,2005),4.39

JohannesB.Metz,ABelieversLookattheWorldin TheChristianandtheWorld:ReadingsinTheology ,(New

York,P.J.Kenedy&Sons,1965),93.


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TheCalltobePropheticAgentsofHopeandChange

Theunderstandingofthetruemeaningof HumanCommunityandtheappropriation

ofitintooursocietyultimatelyentailsusdoingtherightthing.Itisthecallforustogobeyond

thecurrentsofsocialinclination,andmostofthetime,toexecuteboldactionsandprophetic

proclamations.Wearetaskedtobethelevelmindedonesamidstthechaos,toalwayswork

towardsthecommongood.Theoutcomeofthisshouldalwaysbeconstructive,sensitivetoall,

andultimatelyyieldgoodfruits.

Wearealsocalledtobeagentsofhope.Amidstgloomanddespair,weshouldbethe

voicethatbringscomfortandsolacetoall.Thewordswespeakshouldalwaysstrengthenour

inter-relatedness,bringingusclosertogether.

Some of the recent happenings in Malaysia, especially on the treatment towards

religioustension,haveinfactdemonstratedthatmanyCatholicsindeedembracedtheessence

of the Human Community understanding, and have acted towards achieving the common

good.WhilethelocalandforeignmediawerehypedonthetensionsbetweentheChristians

andMuslimovertheAllahfeud,theCatholicsremainedcalmandlevel-headedthroughout.

They were non-reactive to the various attacks, understanding the undercurrents of the

situationandallowingthereactiveenergytodiedown.Whatcameafterweresignsofgreater

solidarity within the faith community and a solid witnessing towards people of other faith,

resultinginmanymore-understandingnon-Christianstovoicetheirsupportandoffertheiraid.

ThetragicreligioustensionMalaysiaisfacingnowcanineffectbeamomentofgrace

forCatholicstotrulytestifytothefaith.Toshowtootherstheconceptofhumancommunity

inourallembracingloveandstriveforthegoodofall.Thisisthegoldenopportunitywherewe

canbringhopealthoughthingsdonotseemtoobright.Thisisthetimewherewecouldstand

outastrueprophets,bringingeveryonetogreatersolidaritythroughouractionandwitness.If

this seed is planted, nurtured and cared for well, it would grow into a great big tree of

testimony of our Christian understanding of Human Community, thus, ultimately, it could

influencemanyfuturetidesofthecountrybeyondthereligiousaspectintothepolitical,racial,

socialandeconomicalsphere.


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Conclusion

ThebirthandgrowthofthecountryMalaysiahasbeenaveryuniqueone.Despitethe

diversity, therehas always been a strong effort inunifyingthe people. However, due tothe

reality of theracial, economical, politicalandreligiousdifferences anddisparity,the unifying

efforts have been extremely challenging. Up to now, Malaysians are still trying to find its

identity,totrytocometotermswithwhatittrulymeanstocalloneselfaMalaysian.

Catholicswithinthecountryneedtoalsoplayitsroleinsearchingfortheiridentitywithin

the country.Besides a sociological understandingtowards the situations, we havean added

faithdimensiontobeutilizedinanalyzingandcomingtoawarenessofthesocialreality.

Appropriating the theological anthropological framework of human community,

Catholicsshouldcometounderstandthattheyplayanintegralrolewithinthecommunityand

needtostrivetowardsthefullcommunion.Wearechallengedtobefullyawareofthesociety,

toknow thatourfaithhave tobeactualized within thissociety, thatwe needto firstlybe in

communion with our faithcommunity,and more importantly,we need tobe incommunion

withthewholenation.

AsVictorFurnishputsitwhilesummarizingthecallofPaulonthevariouscommunities

towardstheirresponsibilityasmembersofsociety,

Hecalledthemtorecognizethatthishadtoinvolvetheirongoingcriticalassessment

ofsocietysmanifoldandcompetingclaimsconcerninggoodandevil,rightandwrong.

AndheledthemtounderstandthatwhattheycoulddeterminetobethewillofGod

asnormedbytheuncommon,savinglovedisclosedinthecrossoughttogoverntheir

conductinrelationtosocietyatlargenolessthantheirconductwithinthebelieving

community.40

Inthoughtsandactions,theCatholicshavetoplaythepropheticroleinestablishingthis

communion and beanintegral bonding forcefor all. Ultimately,this identityofthe Catholic

shouldinfluenceandpermeateintothenationalidentity,makingthenationunderstandthat

weareallpartofadiverse,uniquebutmostimportantly,stronglybondedcommunion.

40

Victor Furnish,Uncommon Loveand theCommon Good: Christians as Citizens in theLetters of Paul, in In

SearchoftheCommonGood,PatrickMillerandDennisMcCaaned.(NewYork:T&TClark,2005),87.


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