Pengharaman fahaman Syiah dan hubungan Malaysia-Iran (The banning of Shia belief and Malaysia-Iran relations)

Abstract

Keputusan Malaysia mengharamkan fahaman Syiah pada tahun 1996 mengejutkan ramai pihak khususnya Iran selaku rakan strategik penting di rantau Timur Tengah. Pengharaman fahaman Syiah diputuskan secara kolektif melalui Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa Kebangsaan setelah mendapati ajaran serta pengamalannya bertentangan dengan pegangan Ahli Sunah Wal Jemaah di Malaysia. Oleh yang demikian, timbul persoalan, sejauh manakah pengharaman fahaman Syiah yang dianggap ancaman kepada keselamatan negara ini memberi kesan terhadap hubungan luar Malaysia-Iran. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk menganalisis impak pengharaman fahaman Syiah terhadap hubungan luar Malaysia-Iran khususnya dari kerangka kerjasama diplomatik, ekonomi, dan sosial. Kajian ini menggunakan metod pendekatan kualitatif berasaskan kaedah temu bual, kaedah analisis bahan bercetak, serta bahan-bahan berautoritatif dari internet. Kajian ini menggunakan teori konstruktivisme sebagai alat analisis dengan elemen seperti persefahaman, kerjasama, idea, norma dan identiti ketika mengkonstruk hubungan antara negara. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan, dasar negara mensekuritisasikan fahaman Syiah di peringkat domestik sebagai ancaman terhadap keselamatan negara tidak memberi kesan terhadap hubungan baik Malaysia-Iran. Hal ini diperkukuhkan dari petunjuk kerjasama diplomatik yang dikonstruk baik antara Malaysia-Iran. Manakala, kerjasama ekonomi dan perdagangan kedua-dua negara juga berada pada tahap yang baik serta memberangsangkan. Selain itu, kajian turut mendapati kerjasama sosial antara Malaysia-Iran semakin meningkat saban tahun khususnya menerusi industri pelancongan dan pendidikan tinggi.

Kata kunci: dasar luar negara, fahaman Syiah, Iran, Malaysia, teori konstruktivisme

Malaysia’s decision to ban Shia belief through a fatwa in 1996 shocked many, especially Iran as an important strategic partner in the Middle East. The fatwa was collectively decided through the Muzakarah of the Fatwa Committee after discovering that the teachings and practices of Shia contradict the values of Ahli Sunah Wal Jemaah in Malaysia. Therefore, the question arises as to what extent does the ban on Shia belief, which is considered a threat to the security of the nation affect Malaysia-Iran’s foreign relations. The purpose of this study was to analyse the impact of the ban on Shia belief on Malaysia-Iran foreign relations especially from the framework of diplomatic, economic and social cooperation. This study adopted a qualitative approach based on interviews and content analysis of printed materials as well as authoritative materials from the internet. This study utilised the theory of constructivism as an analytical tool where elements such as understanding, cooperation, ideas, norms, and identity were used to construct the relations between the countries. The findings indicate that the country’s policy of securitising Shia belief at the domestic level as a threat to the national security does not affect the warm relations between Malaysia and Iran. This finding is strengthened by the indicator of diplomatic cooperation between Malaysia and Iran which was constructed as close. Meanwhile, the economic and trade collaboration between these two countries was also found to be harmony and encouraging level. Additionally, the study also discovered that the social cooperation between Malaysia and Iran is improving every year through the tourism and higher education industry.

Keywords: foreign policy, Shia belief, Iran, Malaysia, theory of constructivism