Malaysia stands, in my view, as a place for great social pioneering. I recently returned there for the second time in two years. My first visit took place in December 2005.
As an Israeli, this was an unusual event as there are no diplomatic relations between Israel and this large, influential Muslim country (Malaysian law even prohibits its citizens from visiting Israel). But I was privileged to appear as the sole Israeli speaker at a Global Peace Forum in Kuala Lumpur, held under the auspices of the Perdana Leadership Foundation headed by former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohammed.
I accepted the invitation apprehensively, but the experience turned out to be extremely positive. In fact, the Israeli flag was displayed in the massive Kuala Lumpur convention center, and, as a religious Jew, I wore my kippa (religious head-covering) while addressing the 1,000-person Malaysian audience. (I’m happy to note that my appearance was met by applause).
The theme of my presentation was Approaches to, and the Impact of, Israeli-Palestinian Inter-religious Dialogue.
This was my first exposure to Malaysia, a country that has been endeavoring to find balance in its Islamic, but multi-cultural character. Many Muslims in Malaysia combine the traditional with a certain relaxed attitude. Teenage girls, for instance, routinely wear the hijab head covering with jeans.
While few Israelis are able to visit Malaysia, I found in it a mirror of my own society. Malaysia has a history facing the challenges of multi-culturalism, and I saw its potential to bridge both religious and cultural differences. I returned home with a new sense of perspective in seeing Malaysia as an Islamic and multi-cultural society, akin to viewing Israel as a Jewish and multicultural society.
I returned to Malaysia in January 2008 to participate in an international academic conference on globalization and peace in the Islamic area of Terengganu. I presented a paper entitled Approaches to Intercivilizational Dialogue, drawing on my many years of field and research work amongst Jews and Arabs to conclude that: between their respective religions, there is a common basis for constructive Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.
I compared Malaysia’s recent cosmonaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who has become a national hero, with Israel´s first astronaut, Ilan Ramon. They both sought guidance from their respective religious authorities as to how to maintain sharia law and Halacha (Jewish law) whilst out in space. The answers formulated attest to the remarkable similarity of structure and practice in both religions, such as the dietary laws, frequency of prayers, and even laws of modesty.
Such comparisons were probably new for many who had little familiarity with Judaism, and it was clear that my presence as a Jewish religious Israeli, the first many had ever met, involved breaking down barriers of stereotypes and misconceptions. However, the more religious faculty at the University of Terengganu had no trouble helping me identify foods consistent with my kosher requirements-they could identify with my problem as they too had had to cope with diet restrictions while abroad.
But I was certainly not the only Jew in Malaysia. In Kuala Lumpur I met an American Jewish factory owner who had settled in Malaysia 20 years ago.
He dressed openly in Jewish religious garb, and reported little or no animosity towards him as a Jew. Through him I met many people of diverse backgrounds. Together we visited a Middle Eastern restaurant belonging to a Syrian Muslim, who was very pleased to meet an Israeli-for the first time.
He explained that on his recent visit to Syria, the mood of his people was overwhelmingly in favor of peace with Israel. Our visit to his restaurant reflected the type of unusual encounter that seems almost natural in Kuala Lumpur.
While visitors are often struck by an ambiance of interethnic harmony in Malaysia, that harmony now seems somewhat tarnished. Several groups, particularly the Indians, have been seeking to renegotiate complex social contracts, which some believe have left them in an inferior position. Other complex questions – such as the place of Islam in the state structure – are also at issue, perhaps not unlike some of the dilemmas facing Israel today, where some Israelis would like to see Jewish law as an integral part of the state structure, and some would not.
While my second trip to Malaysia brought me into contact with a less idealized view of the society, this country truly has the potential to serve as a model for the world-guiding us toward a peaceful meeting of civilizations.
Dr. Ben Mollov teaches political science and conflict management, and runs the Project for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Peace at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org
