This is NEP, this is Malaysia

Forget lofty ideals, this is what it boils down to

For every Revathi 100 more cry in silence

The People's Parliament put forth his thoughts regarding Revathi elegantly in this his post here, aptly entitled "Revathi are you really free"

I share his deepfelt sympathy to Revathi and Suresh. May they find courage, compassion and strength to lead their lives as a family. As human beings. As dignified individuals without fear and intimidation.

Scroll down the page of the People's Parliament and read another reply by a "prometheus_bound".

I reproduce the reply here in full.

About a year ago, I represented a woman who had his adopted son detained by JAIS at a detention centre in Ulu Yam. My client was a Christian who converted to a Muslim. She had an adopted son, who is a Muslim. The boy lived with her and her family.

Initially my client financially contributed to the religious school, however when she found out some irregularities, she stopped funding the school.

Her problem thereafter started. The head of the religious school lodged a report to the local authorities claiming that she was trying to “convert” her adopted son to Christianity. Obviously that was a blatant lie.

The religious authority together with the police raided her house in the middle of the night, it was a party of about 20-30 people. They couldnt find a Bible, yet they insist that she was trying to convert the boy as a Christian. The boy was detained at a detention centre in Ulu Yam.

My client threatened legal action against the religious authority. A deal was brokered. The religious authority allowed me to visit the boy at the detention centre. The religious authority wanted to show that the boy wanted to stay at the detention centre voluntarily for an indefinate period of time.

It was heartbreaking. The boy was in fear. After reading Revathi’s story I remember vividly the look on the boy’s face.

The religious authorities need to be reined in.

What we have here is nothing less than legalised Mafias.
Mafias that are unaccountable for their actions. Which operates outside the boundaries of the legal framework.

What recourse does a civilised nation, or a civilised populace have against these groups. In the very first place, they operate outside the legal framework. To top it all off, they are State sanctioned. One just needs to cry Allah-u-akbar in a mob frantic frenzy and any Federal Court Judge, politician and police officer will stand back and look away. This is Malaysia

For every Revathi, 100 more Revathis cry in silence. We all pray for them, may they find courage and compassion, someday.

What a shame

Shame on you ISLAMIC ZEALOTS of MALAYSIA

Original post here

"It was a prison. They placed me in a solitary confinement," Massosai Revathi, an ethnic Indian, said a day after she was freed from a state-run Islamic counselling centre. "Although I served 180 days, I still cannot convert out of Islam," said Revathi, 29. "I wasted my time"

So, to all who said it was an "administrative procedure". What do you have to say now ?

Not only was it torture, denial of human rights and now they tell her she's still a Muslim and cannot lead a life the way she wants.


SHAME ON YOU PEOPLE ! RELIGIOUS BIGOTS

Let me ask a simple question

A truly unfortunate turn of events.
Massosai Revathi, a Malaysian citizen whose parents had converted to Islam but who was brought up by her Hindu grandmother and who had lived most of her life as a Hindu. Revathi is therefore one of the unfortunate cases of Malaysian citizens whose complex identity was bound to get her into trouble with the religious authorities in Malaysia, and it finally did. Following her marriage to her Hindu husband according to Hindu rites, they had a child who was also brought up a Hindu. Revathi was later called in by the religious authorities and told in no uncertain terms that she was legally a Muslim and had therefore committed a crime in the eyes of Islamic law and Muslim jurists. She was then sent to one of the country’s ‘Faith Rehabilitation Centers’ so that she could be ‘persuaded’ to return to Islam.

This is the associated press reports, her 100-day extension has been extended to another 80-days

Malaysia’s Islamic officials seize baby from mother who sought a Hindu life
The Associated Press

Published: April 6, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Islamic authorities took away the baby of a Muslim woman who is living as a Hindu in defiance of the law in the latest case of religious conflict straining ties in multiethnic Malaysia, officials said Friday.

Revathi Masoosai’s 15-month-old daughter was taken by the Islamic Religious Department in southern Malacca state on March 26 and handed to Revathi’s Muslim mother, said department enforcement officer Mohamad Imran Ahmad.

“The baby’s grandmother has custody of her for now,” Mohamad Imran told The Associated Press.

Revathi, an ethnic Indian, is being held in a rehabilitation center run by Islamic authorities for her religious transgression. The baby was with Revathi’s husband when she was seized. He has filed a police complaint, but it was not clear if he plans to take the case to court.

Meanwhile, the baby will stay with her grandmother. “When the baby’s mother is released, she can try to regain custody if she wants to,” said Mohamad Imran without elaborating.

The case, which was made public by the opposition Democratic Action Party on Thursday, highlights an increasing number of spats affecting the religious and family rights of the ethnic Indian and Chinese minorities.

Indians, who form about 8 percent of Malaysia’s 26 million people, are mostly Hindus while some are Christians, Muslims and Sikhs.

Activists say a string of recent disputes have ended in favor of Muslims — who comprise nearly 60 percent of the population — and strained ethnic relations in this multicultural nation, which has enjoyed racial peace for nearly four decades.

Revathi, 29, was born to Indian Muslim parents who gave her a Muslim name, Siti Fatimah. However, Revathi claims she was raised as a Hindu by her grandmother and changed her name in 2001, said Chong Eng, an opposition member of Parliament.

Revathi married Suresh Veerappan in 2004 according to Hindu rites. The marriage has not been legally registered because Suresh would have had to convert to Islam first.

Revathi’s official identification documents state she is Muslim because Malaysians who are born as Muslims cannot legally convert.

The Islamic Religious Department apparently learned of Revathi’s case after she gave birth. Revathi was detained in January and taken to a rehabilitation center in central Malaysia where she is expected to be held until at least mid-April to undergo religious counseling, Chong said.

“Separating mother and child … is inhuman,” Chong said in a statement.

A custody battle would be complicated because Islamic officials and Revathi’s mother would likely seek to try the case in Islamic Shariah court, which handles religious, family and personal law disputes involving Muslims.

Non-Muslims turn to civil courts to settle these issues. But the secular courts have generally avoided taking a position in such disputes between Muslims and non-Muslims, leaving it to the Shariah system, where verdicts have often favored Muslims.

- Breaking up a marriage.
- Separating a mother from her 15-month old daughter for 3 months
- Taking away a baby from her father.
All for the sake of what ?
If religion is all about coercion, wrecking marriages, separating families.
Then I make my stand here loud and clear

ISLAM, at least the Malaysian version of it is the NOT WORTH IT's DAY in HELL.

IT'S a bureaucracy run my zealots, who derive wicked fetish and satisfaction, on the suffering of others. They have no compassion, no intention to assist fellow human beings.

ISLAM in MALAYSIA and all it's proponents and administrators - if I had my way, you will be buried alive in nothing less than pig's excrement.

Taliban strikes again

This country is in a state of crisis. It's tearing apart from within. A secular government and an increasingly rampant, overzealous group of Islamic enforcement officers, which to a certain thinks they are not accountable nor do they need to adhere to any rules or regulations.

To them they are answerable to their version of God's divine laws, they are despicable, disrespectful and have no sense of human dignity. They interpret laws and rules to their whim and fancy, often citing words of scripture.

This is almost Medieval Europe

I reproduce here a report from
a local newspaper.

IPOH: The Perak Religious Department (JAIP) has
ordered a singer to appear before the Syariah Court for “exposing her body”
during a performance and “encouraging immoral activities”.
However, an indignant Siti Noor Idayu Abd Moin, 22, said she was wearing a sleeveless top and long pants when JAIP officers raided an entertainment outlet in Sunway City where she was performing on Tuesday.
Our band had just finished and it was a little past midnight when they came
in and rounded up all the Muslims. “They asked to see our MyKad but
one officer refused to touch the cards, referring to them as najis (unclean),”
she said.
Siti Noor Idayu said the JAIP officers later detained seven
people, including four employees of the outlet, and brought them to the
department office.
“They put us in a tiny room and turned up the air-conditioner. I heard one officer tell the other: Bekulah dia orang (Let them freeze),” she said.
Siti Noor Idayu also said the male officers kept taking photographs of her, adding that she was made to stay overnight in that room until 10am.
She said the officer who finally came to record her statement at 8am, accused her of consuming alcohol and drugs, being involved in immoral activities, and that her MyKad was a fake.
“I took the breathalyser test twice and when the reading remained at zero, the officers looked frustrated.
“I heard one tell the other: Tapi dia tak minum lah (But she did not drink),” she said.
Siti Noor Idayu said an officer even told her that the money she earned working in the outlet was duit haram (illicit money) and that her parents, children and future generations would all be tainted for using such money.
“They finally wrote me a notice accusing me of dressing sexily and encouraging immorality just because I sang there,” she said.
The notice ordered her to appear before the Syariah Court here on Aug 6.
When contacted, JAIP director Datuk Jamry Sury said he was confident that his officers had not acted outside of their jurisdiction in issuing the notice.
“According to Islamic laws, a Muslim woman is not allowed to serve or entertain a man who is not her husband in a place where immoral activities usually take place,” he said.

I am not a lawyer, hence I will not go further, but are we a secular nation or an Islamic nation, in which Islamic law reigns supreme ?
Doesn't the Federal Constiuition has a list of areas that falls within the purview of the Syariah Court. Did it say anything about "a Muslim woman is not allowed to serve or entertain a man who is not her husband in a place where immoral activities usually take place”

Who defines what is immoral ? Which set of laws defines morality ?

Today, Muslim women in Malaysian will never represent Malaysia in any beauty pageant (e.g. Miss Universe, Miss World) - due to to infamous storming of a Miss Malaysia/World pageant a few years back.

What next, will they storm the next Asean Games rhythmic gymnastic event when a Muslim woman were to compete ? After all, she is entertaining a crowd of people, men included and they are all definitely not her husband.

Which set of laws will these Strom Troopers be governed under ?

Aren't there laws for lawful/unlawful and unruly behaviour in public places ? Who detained these Storm Troopers when they disrupted the Miss Malaysia Pageant ?

Like Shamans, Wizards and Witches of pagan tribes, these individuals wield blind, lawless authority over the people and nobody questions them. Mortals cuddle in fear as they walk pass, logic does not prevail and all decorum of a civil society are broken by these people.

Forget everything you've seen or read in the media - about Malaysia being truly Asia.
It is not and it is surely being sucked into the Middle Ages, quickly.

Why didn't Lina Joy turned to the Islamic courts ?

The dust has settled, and we've heard both sides of the argument.
Most neutral yet falsely optimistic argument I've heard so far is :
"it's a mere administrative procedure, she needs to apply to the Shariah Courts"

This is why people don't go to the Shariah Courts.
From MalaysiaToday here

Please allow me to reproduce in full.

Gua Musang (Malaysia), SVM News - Malaysian Government authorities Demolished a Christian Church Building in an Orang Asli settlement in Gua Musang in Ulu Kelantan on June 4.

Just few months ago, the Orang Asli community in Kampung Jias converted into Christianity as a result of the ministries of Pastor Moses Soo. And they were in need of a church to worship. So they consulted the Village Development and Security Committee and the Department of Orang Asli Affairs to erect a church to mark their faith.

It was sanctioned and they proceeded constructing the church with the help of volunteers and certain donations.

But on April 11, the Gua Musang district land office issued a stop work order, stated that the construction was being carried out on state land without permission from the authorities.

The following day, Rev. Wong Kim Kong, the Secretary General of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship of Malaysia (NECF) sent a letter to the land office, said the land belonged to the Orang Asli villagers under Section 2 6(1) and 7(1) of the Orang Asli Act of 1954. And copied to the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and the Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail.

And construction of the church continued.

Again the Land Office issued another notice on May 24 informing the village headman Pedik Busu that the "illegal" structure would be demolished.

Despite various efforts to block the demolishment, the church was finally torn down by bulldozers on Monday, 4th of June

Pastor Moses Soo said to Rev. Paul Ciniraj, the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries and the SVM News Service that police tortured him several times.

Also Pastor Soo said the district land office do not have any right to reduce the church to rubble, because the land belonged to the headman of Kampung Jias but was donated to the Orang Asli community for the purpose of building the church.

After demolishing the church, a report was made on June 6 at the Gua Musang Police Station by the headman Pg. Pedik bin Busu of Kg. Jias and he was accompanied by the lawyer Mr. Lum C. S.

"We are not sure who was responsible for demolishing the Orang Asli church in Gua Musang, the Federal Islamic authorities (UMNO) or the Kelantan State religious authorities (PAS). I think Malaysiakini carried a report recently that the Kelantan govt is going to compensate them for the demolition of the church," a believer of the church said. "In Malaysia where Muslims destroy churches, temples, etc. the govt keeps quiet and pretends it does not know" he added.

So you think Lina Joy will come out alive as soon as she walks into the Shariah court office ?
Easy for one to talk about "administrative procedures". People are not stupid, though we all have our radars tuned at different frequencies. As for Lina Joy she has her radar tuned on her physical survival, and what do you do when these things are the norm in Bolehland.

Arabic script hoo hah

This Post on Malaysiakini has generated some unfounded furore.


Excerpt here :

Therefore, I was very, very disappointed to see that even the national language
is not used by the Malaysian Embassy and instead that another language that I
was not taught back in school is being used. I wasn't aware that this language
superceded our national language in importance.

Of course like everything that's in Malaysia every minor chasm has been blown into the likes of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This is an equally passionate reply on Malaysiakini, from a Malay/Muslim of course

Excerpt here :

If the non-Malays could even take offence with the use of Jawi and call it
Arabic, then it is doomsday for the future of integration as it only exemplifies
the unspoken (or not, as the case may be) aversion they may have towards
anything `Malay' and `Islamic'. Jawi is part of the history of BM. After the
Romanised form was used fully post-1972, we witnessed a decline in the
understanding of BM in its original form ie. with Jawi characters. If one were
to study the language, there are a lot of BM words which could have been better
`pronounced' had the Jawi characters been used.

Please let me highlight the National Language Act 1963. (Akta Bahasa Kebangsaan)
I am pleasantly surprise the AG Chambers actually has a pdf copy of it.
http://www.agc.gov.my/agc/oth/Akta/Vol.%201/Akta%2032.pdf


Section 9 states :

Tulisan bagi bahasa kebangsaan
9. Tulisan bagi bahasa kebangsaan ialah tulisan Rumi: dengan syarat bahawa ini tidak melarang penggunaan tulisan Melayu, yang lebih dikenali dengan nama tulisan Jawi, bagi bahasa kebangsaan.

Nevertheless, please allow logic to prevail, and stop the "Islamic chest-thumping, non-Muslims bashing"

• The largest Malay newspapers in circulation is Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia and both are the Rumi script.
• Public Road signs are all in the Rumi script
• Government Forms and every single official signage is in the Rumi script
• Heck, even the AGC Chambers National Language Act 1963 publication is in the Rumi script
• Parliamentary proceedings, Hansard are recorded in the Rumi script
• Universities use the Rumi script for all courses

Enough said...

I admit the original writer may have been harsh in his choice of words, but Jawi is not an official script. So the question to the Malaysian embassy, why use an unofficial script ?