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By Mihar Dias December 2025
There are many ways for a politician to show concern for the rakyat. Some worry about inflation. Others fret over floods, potholes, or the price of chicken.
Then there are those who, upon hearing about toll-free highways on December 24–25, immediately worry about something far more fragile than congestion levels: the nation’s akidah.
According to the Malay narrative offered with great seriousness, an MP of PAS has advised the public to avoid highways on those dates. Why? Because, he warns, “Jangan disebabkan tol percuma, semua tergelincir akidah.” Don’t let free tolls cause your faith to slip. Focus Malaysia
It is a remarkable theological development. Apparently, iman in Malaysia is not weakened by corruption, abuse of power, or politicians who shout piety while practising expediency. No, faith collapses when you save RM20 at the toll plaza over Christmas holidays.
This is a bold reinterpretation of moral danger. For decades, we thought highways were neutral infrastructure — concrete, asphalt, and the occasional rest stop selling overpriced coffee.
We were wrong. On December 24 and 25, they apparently transform into moving missionary corridors, where the simple act of driving north or south somehow nudges Muslims toward theological peril.
One wonders about the mechanics of this “slippage”. Does akidah erode gradually at 110km/h?
Or does it vanish instantly the moment the barrier lifts and the toll reads “RM0.00”?
Is the danger greater on PLUS than on state roads? And what about roundabouts — are they spiritually safer?
The logic, of course, is not really about roads. It is about symbolism. Christmas exists. It is visible. It has lights, trees, and dates on the calendar.
So, instead of trusting Malaysian Muslims to coexist with that reality — as they have done peacefully for decades — we are served a familiar political reflex: wrap insecurity in religious language and call it guidance.
What makes this especially cynical is the assumption beneath it. That Muslims are so easily confused, so spiritually brittle, that a free toll or a traffic jam near Christmas is enough to derail their belief system. It is not only patronising; it is deeply insulting to the very faith such statements claim to protect.
Meanwhile, Christians celebrating Christmas are reduced to a background hazard — not fellow citizens, not neighbours, but a kind of spiritual pothole best avoided by taking the kampung road.
In the end, this is not about safeguarding akidah. It is about signalling. A performance of piety, delivered in soundbites, aimed not at God but at voters. Faith becomes a prop, highways become a threat, and governance quietly exits the conversation.
Perhaps the real danger is not free tolls on December 24–25. Perhaps it is the steady normalisation of the idea that religion is so weak it needs traffic advisories — and that leaders have so little to offer that fear is the only road they know how to pave.
If faith can survive corruption scandals, broken promises, and daily political theatre, surely it can survive a toll-free drive to Melaka.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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