KAMARUL Ramizu Idris, the eyebrow-raising independent candidate in both the Bukit Gantang and Penanti by-elections, is being skewered for coming out in support of the Internal Security Act (ISA). “Whether the ISA exists or is abolished is meaningless now. It just should not be abused, either by individuals or the government. It must be transparent […]
islam
AI highlights racial discrimination in M’sia
By Gan Pei LingPETALING JAYA, 28 May 2009: For the first time in its annual human rights report for Malaysia, Amnesty International (AI) has highlighted racial discrimination as one of several human rights violations in the country. The 2009 report said that racial discrimination was institutionalised in Malaysia, particularly in government-backed affirmative action policies for bumiputeras such as […]
Antara dosa dan jenayah
Oleh Shanon ShahKESIAN Ako Mustapha. Tanggal 22 April 2009 lalu, pelakon terkenal tersebut dijatuhkan hukuman penjara tiga bulan dan denda maksimum RM3,000 oleh Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Gombak Timur atas tuduhan berkhalwat. Menurut hakim Syarie Wan Mahyuddin Wan Muhammad, “Sekiranya satu hukuman yang tidak setimpal atau hukuman dikurangkan, masyarakat akan menganggap kesalahan ini sebagai remeh dan mungkin akan […]
Democracy defends apostasy
By Shanon ShahKUALA LUMPUR, 6 May 2009: Muslims in a truly democratic country would allow other Muslims the freedom to leave Islam if they wished, said Muslim Turkish writer Mustafa Akyol. “We are happy when non-Muslims like Cat Stevens embrace Islam, but what if a Muslim wants to become a Christian?” asked Akyol at a public seminar […]
PR to form religious committee
By Sharon TanPETALING JAYA, 4 May 2009: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will form a religious committee to look into custody rights and freedom of religion in the light of the [M] Indira Gandhi case. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the cabinet had come to its decision to allow the children of one converted parent to remain […]
MAIS forbids Ahmadiyya worship
By Shanon ShahPETALING JAYA, 28 Apr 2009: The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) has forbidden the Ahmadiyya Muslim sect to perform Friday prayers at their mosque with immediate effect. In a letter to the Ahmadiyya dated 24 Apr 2009 made available to The Nut Graph, MAIS said, “If [the Ahmadiyya] fail to comply with, defy or neglect […]
The politics of Penanti
Translation by Shanon ShahAMONG the main concerns of the Malay-language press from the week of 20 to 26 April 2009 were the Penanti by-election, Islamic laws, and defending the monarchy. On 20 April, Utusan Malaysia‘s Hassan Mohd Noor said in his Selak column that the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as Penanti state assemblyperson was no surprise. In […]
“What do you mean by liberal Islam?”
By Shanon ShahDR Alwi Abdurrahman Shihab is a prime example of Indonesia’s political legacy post-President Abdurrahman Wahid: he is not only a politician, but an intellectual to boot. Abdurrahman was himself a leading scholar before being elected to lead Southeast Asia’s largest democracy, and the world’s largest Muslim country. Alwi is currently the President of Indonesia’s Envoy […]
Laws to determine child’s religious status (Updated)
PUTRAJAYA, 24 April 2009: To determine the religious status of a child when a parent converted to Islam, one has to look at the Islamic as well as the existing Malaysian laws, said the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) today. Its director-general, Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, said that under Article 12(4) of […]
Get views from muftis first, govt urged
IPOH, 24 April 2009: Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria has urged the government to get views from the Malaysian Mufti Council before making any decision regarding Islam to avoid confusion. He said the government decision that a child’s religion must be in accordance with the common religion of the parents at the time of […]
