Not Only Interference, But the Very Presence of the Enemy and Their System Must Be Rejected

The disclosure by the President of PAS, Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, claiming that the United States (US) once offered assistance to PAS to topple UMNO and take over the government, is not a trivial matter, despite having occurred a long time ago. According to him, the incident took place when PAS was still part of the political coalition (Pakatan Rakyat) and coincided with the visit of the then-US President, Barack Obama, to Malaysia.

Hadi stated that he dispatched Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Dr. Samsuri Mokhtar to the US Embassy in response to the invitation, and it was there that the offer was made. Subsequently, he himself was invited by the American Ambassador for a meeting, which he attended alongside Dato’ Mustafa Ali. He was then asked by the US Ambassador as to whom PAS proposed to be the Prime Minister. In response, he countered with a question, asking who America would agree to (to become the Prime Minister), which consequently left the US Ambassador astounded, he remarked.

The Secretary-General of PAS, Takiyuddin Hassan, also confirmed that representatives from the US Embassy had inquired whether PAS planned to overthrow the BN government. According to him, PAS did not provide any definitive response, as the party did not desire foreign intervention in Malaysian politics.

The revelation of this event, which ostensibly occurred more than a decade ago, has been unequivocally denied by the US Embassy. David H. Gamble Jr., the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, asserted that the US has never attempted to dictate Malaysia's political leadership, describing Hadi's allegations as completely false.

In light of these conflicting claims and denials, this issue undoubtedly warrants further scrutiny. Who is telling the truth, and who is fabricating? The crux of the matter is that America itself viewed the PAS President's revelation with such gravity that it felt compelled to issue a formal denial. Nevertheless, as Muslims, this denial by the US should not render us naive into believing that Washington has never harboured vested interests in the trajectory of Malaysian politics.

The Imperative to Reject the US Itself, Not Merely Its Interference

If it is true that such an offer was made by the US, then PAS's stance in rejecting the proposition from the imperialist nation was indeed accurate. Whosoever assumes the role of Prime Minister in this country is of no concern to Washington or any other foreign power. Furthermore, any political party is not supposed to acquire power by relying on the assistance of a foreign nation, which undoubtedly harbours its own political motives.

However, transcending that point, the primary question to be asked is: why did the US invite the opposition party in Malaysia, and specifically an Islamic party, for an "audience"? The subsequent question is: how could an Islamic party accept an invitation from the embassy of a hostile entity, when accepting such an invitation fundamentally signifies the recognition of the enemy's presence within the country, as well as an acknowledgment of diplomatic relations with a Kafir Harbi (belligerent infidel) state, which is strictly prohibited in Islam?

What an Islamic party, and indeed all Muslims, ought to demonstrate is an outright rejection of the US, being a state actively waging war against Islam, as well as a resolute opposition to the visit of the president of that belligerent state to our country. This is precisely what was undertaken by Hizb ut Tahrir, which orchestrated a massive campaign mobilizing Muslims to protest Obama’s presence in this country based on five grounds: that Obama represented the US as the world's foremost terrorist state, a state responsible for the slaughter of Muslims, the occupier of Muslim lands, and the principal benefactor of 'Israel'.

Hizb ut Tahrir not only urged the government to reject Obama’s visit at the time, but also demanded the closure of the embassy and the expulsion of the US Ambassador from the country. This stems from the status of the US and Obama as belligerent infidel, which Islam categorically forbids any form of relations between us and them. The only permissible relationship between a Muslim state and a belligerent state is one of war (Jihad); all other forms of diplomatic relations are absolutely forbidden by Islam.

This is the Islamic ruling mandated upon every Muslim, and even more so upon an Islamic party: it is an obligation not only to reject US interference, but also to reject and refuse recognition of the US's very presence on our soil. On this basis, we must never accept any invitation from this enemy of Islam, and it is incumbent upon us to display our unwavering rejection and displeasure towards them. The unequivocal message that must be delivered to the US is: you are our enemy, and we do not welcome your presence in our country, for our religion prohibits it.

Hence, there is no need for us to inquire as to whom America agrees with to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Instead, we must send a resolute message to the US that their presence in this country is not only unwelcome but creates a catastrophe.

Another crucial point to comprehend is that when the US is willing to meet with any political party, let alone offer its assistance to that party, it serves as an indication that the party is favoured by the US, primarily because its works do not contradict US policies and agendas.

The Close Collaboration Between the US and Malaysian Political Figures and Parties

In the realm of international politics, an enemy state like the US does not operate merely on the basis of material interests; rather, its overarching aim is to weaken Islam and dominate the Muslim Ummah. The US does not cultivate relations with any government, opposition, political party, civil society organization, or the elite of any nation without calculated motives. This is particularly true when the country in question holds a strategic position within global power rivalries.

As an adversary of Islam, the US seeks to ensure that Muslims will never rise against it. Any political party, especially an Islamic one, is meticulously monitored by the US to ensure it aligns with American interests and remains subservient to its grand design. The political history of Malaysia itself demonstrates that American involvement with local political actors is not merely a phenomenon confined to Abdul Hadi's claims. Substantial evidence corroborating this has been sequentially unearthed over time.

For instance, following the victory of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018, the President of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Daniel Twining, publicly disclosed that his organization had been working closely with democratic political parties in Malaysia since 2002 to ensure the continuous flourishing of the democratic system in the country. This implicitly suggests that the US supports any individual or party that operates within the democratic framework and defends the democratic system. He characterized the US's endeavor to ensure a thriving democracy in Malaysia as a "long game," adding that he personally never lost hope in that game.

To date, not a single political party contesting in Malaysian elections has refuted Twining's statement, thereby illuminating the continuous, tight-knit collaboration between democratic political parties in Malaysia and organizations based in America.

We certainly have not forgotten the classified letter leaked during GE14, wherein the Director General of the Research Division in the Prime Minister's Department – better known as the Intelligence Unit – wrote a letter to CIA Director Gina Haspel. The letter solicited the CIA's support for Najib Razak, who was anticipated to secure only a marginal victory in the aforementioned general election.

During that same general election, an audio recording of Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz in a closed-door meeting was leaked. Initially denied by the said PAS Central Committee Member as being his voice – a fabrication he claimed was made with the blessing of the PAS President himself – he later confessed to its authenticity. In the recording, Nik Abduh admitted to being in constant communication with CIA operatives known to him. This admission prompted an investigation by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), although no further action has been taken to this day.

Consequently, foreign interference in Malaysian politics cannot be narrowly construed as merely instances where an embassy convenes a secret meeting and declares, "We will help you topple the government." The political machinations of major powers are far more subtle and strategic. They cultivate networks, befriend with specific politicians, patronize them, fund select political parties, and promote specific ideologies. Through these means, they are able to influence the political direction, policies, and even the leadership of a nation – all of which constitute integral components of great power manoeuvres in the political arena.

The Imperative to Reject Foreign Interference and Their Systems

There is another dimension regarding the American Ambassador's question to Abdul Hadi that warrants attention, which must be scrutinized through the lens of American politics and agendas. The question, "Who does PAS propose to be the Prime Minister," was not a mere coincidence, nor was it posed without cause by an individual of ambassadorial rank. This is especially true given his full awareness that the person he had invited and posed the question to was the president of the largest Islamic political party in Malaysia.

Aside from making it glaringly obvious that the US desires to intervene in or dictate the choice of Malaysia's Prime Minister (despite its denials), the question reflects the American Ambassador's understanding that the opposition in Malaysia is merely interested in changing the Prime Minister, rather than changing the system itself. This is precisely what America wants the democratic political parties in Malaysia to preoccupy themselves with: replacing the Prime Minister, not the system. America emphatically does not want Muslims to contemplate what system actually needs to be replaced.

As long as Muslims remain preoccupied with thinking about and fighting to change the rulers while maintaining the same system, the US is, in truth, entirely unconcerned about who wins or who becomes the Prime Minister. The US merely needs to recalibrate its relations and interests with the new government; that is all, and it is a remarkably simple task for the US as long as the new administration remains loyal to democracy and adopts friendly policies towards Washington.

Therefore, in the Islamic political struggle, we must distinguish our friends from our foes, and the sole criterion for measuring this must be the Quran and the Sunnah. Friends must be treated as friends, while enemies must be treated as enemies. According to Islam, not only are we obligated to reject enemy interference in our affairs, but the very presence of the enemy must be vehemently repudiated. Above all else, the systems originating from these enemies must be entirely rejected. It is profoundly tragic when democratic political parties fail to comprehend this principle, subsequently befriending the enemy, adopting their systems, and inadvertently falling into the enemy's trap.

Conclusion

Indeed, the Islamic political struggle is not solely aimed at replacing the head of state, but rather at replacing all existing systems within the country – which were bequeathed by the colonialists – with the systems ordained by the Messenger of Allah (saw). The Islamic political struggle of today demands that the Ummah establish a new state founded firmly upon the Islamic Aqeedah, to supplant the foundations of secularism imposed by the colonizers.

Therefore, the Islamic political struggle requires Muslims, and particularly Islamic political parties, to possess a lucid mission and vision. This clarity must encompass not only the method of establishing Islam, the nature of the Islamic State to be formed, and the Islamic systems to be implemented, but also the manner in which relations between the Islamic State (Khilafah) and foreign nations are conducted – treating friends as friends and enemies as enemies. It is this very form of struggle that is deeply feared and will never be tolerated by America.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Abdul Hakim Othman
Official Spokesperson of Hizb ut Tahrir in Malaysia