MALAYSIA:
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

The Show Goes On….

  In SIGNS issue no. 7., we highlighted the problem of clowns masquerading as ulema in front of Malaysian television audiences, unloading all sorts of ulema ideas on innocent people. We especially pointed out the case of one particular ulema who had become very influential in Malaysia and is believed to control a genie.

This particular ulema is patronised by the elite among the Malays including corporate figures, top civil servants and members of the royalty. He is reputed to cure many sicknesses using magic and the pollution free genie. However, as mentioned in a previous article, the witch doctor himself recently had to be admitted to a proper hospital for chest pains.

The article in SIGNS has been widely publicised in Malaysia and elicited substantial comment from the religious, academic and other influential circles. However, now many of these 'entertainers' have since disappeared from the television screens. A coincidence perhaps? The Minister of Information, Datuk Mohamed Rahmat made a Press statement that the 't.v. ulema' had been made "persona non grata" because they had started adding very high fees for their glamour appearances on television.

Some of them have denied this accusation. (What did you expect -a confession?) But perhaps, for a change there may be a ring of truth to this because some of them did not received high fees for their television appearances. However, the spin-off is that their appearance on television generates free publicity for them, which they take advantage of quite handsomely.

As a result of their appearances on television, they get lucrative offers to make lectures or provide "consultation" for weak-minded people who think they are afflicted by demons and spirits. Some of them also appear on radio talk shows where they broadcast their private handphone numbers so that people may call them for lucrative private engagements. One of these ulema (who was a moderator on TV talk shows) even uses the radio to publicise his summer camp for school children.

However, since their "personal non grata" on the airwaves, they have now started to show their true colours. They have moved to another circus run by the opposition Islamic Party (PAS) and have started writing in magazines, which are sympathetic towards the opposition Party. As long as foolish people are willing to pan with their money, they will perform in any circus!