A good narrative by (Rtd) Navy Commander Thayaparan
Pakatan Harapan talks about the ‘New Liberal Malaysia’. Is that so? Then why not the Pakatan Harapan Members of Parliament table a bill in Parliament to ban all state laws and streamline all laws under the federal government. At the moment there is utter confusion when we have federal laws and each state has its own laws. Once the power to make laws is taken away from the states then you can ban what non-Muslims call ‘barbaric and outdated Sharia laws from the primitive Arab desert’.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
The article “Some of my Malay friends think public caning is a great idea” by S. Thayaparan and published in Malaysiakini today is very interesting (READ HERE).
Thayaparan whacks both sides of the political divide plus ‘third force’ parties such as PAS. And I like what he says. The issue is not so much whether I agree or disagree with his views (or part of his views) but more in the way he has presented them. I think he has articulated his views well, never mind whether you may agree or disagree with him.
I think the main problem here is we are trying to be everything to everyone. But then we cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. And this is what most Malaysians, especially politicians, do.
In fact, this has been Anwar Ibrahim’s trademark from way back. He can sing one tune to the Muslim Brotherhood (that some classify as a terrorist organisation) in the Middle East (and quote Hassan al-Banna and Yusuf al-Qaradawi) and then sing the opposite tune when he meets the neocons and Jews in America.
Anwar is a classic example of someone who runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds.
Anwar Ibrahim is one reason why Islam is in such a mess
When asked whether he supports the Sharia Amendment Bill a.k.a. RUU355, Anwar replied that as a Muslim he has no choice but to support the Sharia but then we first need to educate non-Muslims about Sharia laws and the RUU355 and only after they have accepted it can we implement it.
In other words, Anwar accepts the theory of the law but not the practice of the law. In theory, adultery and gay activities are a sin and sinners should be punished but in practice Malaysia is not yet ready for that so the sinners should not be punished yet until all Malaysians are ready for that law.
So, when will Malaysians be ready? It has been 1,400 years since the birth of Islam and after 1,400 years the non-Muslims still cannot accept the Sharia. If after 1,400 years the non-Muslims (and even many Muslims as well) cannot accept the Sharia will they ever accept the Sharia even in another 1,000 years?
That’s like telling your wife you will buy her a three-carat blue-diamond ring the day you win the lottery but you have never once in your life bought any lottery ticket. That means you do not intend to buy her any three-carat blue-diamond ring but you want to ‘buat sedap mulut’.
Why does Khalid Samad avoid giving his view on the caning of lesbians?
Amanah’s Khalid Samad said if the people are not happy with the caning laws (which is a state law) then ask the Terengganu State Assembly to abolish that law.
What is that supposed to mean? Does it mean he accepts the caning law or he opposes the caning law? He did not say. Basically, he, like many Muslims, will not commit himself and state his stand either way. Better not to say whether you accept or oppose the caning law (or any other Sharia law for that matter) because it can have political repercussions (both ways).
Hence, Muslims will make political statements and will make sure the statement is ‘balanced’ so that both the supporters and opposers will not get upset. “I will not say whether I support or oppose the caning of lesbians. But if you do not want women to be caned then bring it to the Terengganu State Assembly and get that law abolished at that level. I am not going to give you my opinion because I am not a member of the Terengganu State Assembly.”
And this is the whole reason why Malaysia is in such a mess when it comes to Islam. Politicians want to play safe and please both the supporters and opposers of Islam. They say things such as Malaysia is a Secular-Muslim country (and there is no such thing as a Secular-Theological State). They say things such as Malaysia has freedom of religion but it is a crime to preach Christianity to Muslims (so there is no freedom of religion after all). They say Malaysia has freedom of thought but if you practice Shia Islam instead of Sunni Islam you will get arrested (so there is no freedom of thought then because we decide what you are allowed to think).
There is freedom of religion in Malaysia but not freedom to become Shia Muslims
Yes, we want to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. And until Malaysians, in particular Muslims, can be clear about what it should be, then expect the issue of Islam to continue to be a problem.
Many Malays (and even non-Malays) say Muslims are shackled. As Thayaparan said, all those who believe in God and who have a religion are shackled.
Today, almost one billion people all over the world do not have enough food to eat. India has about 300 million cows in a country of 1.3 billion people. There are just too many cows in India and this is causing an environmental problem — plus global warning (cow dung emits gas).
Why can’t the Hindu leaders in India propose they slaughter the surplus cows and export the meat to feed the one billion hungry people all over the world? Even 100 million cows are enough to feed one billion hungry people.
Maybe the Hindus can ‘unshackle’ their minds and slaughter 100 million of their 300 million cows to feed the one billion hungry people all over the world
If you propose that there will be riots on the streets of India and thousands will die. And that is basically because Hindus are as ‘shackled’ as Muslims. But they talk about the ‘shackled’ Muslim or Malay mind while the minds of the Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., are no better.
Take the Chinese mind. They act liberal but they still want Chinese schools and Chinese education because they think their schools and education system are better. The Chinese mind is also shackled and they are just like the Nazis who think the Germans and the German system is far superior to others.
Pakatan Harapan talks about the ‘New Liberal Malaysia’. Is that so? Then why not the Pakatan Harapan Members of Parliament table a bill in Parliament to ban all state laws and streamline all laws under the federal government. At the moment there is utter confusion when we have federal laws and each state has its own laws. Once the power to make laws is taken away from the states then you can ban what non-Muslims call ‘barbaric and outdated Sharia laws from the primitive Arab desert’.
