PETALING JAYA, 25 May 2009: The Perak Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s plan to stage a three-day hunger strike calling for the dissolution of the state assembly, has come under fire from certain quarters who say it might be haram. An Utusan Malaysia article today quoted two state muftis as terming the practice as “haram” for Muslims. […]
religion
Religion and human rights
By Ambiga Sreenevasan, Andrew Khoo and Zarizana Abdul AzizON Tuesday, 28 April 2009, The Star published an article by Dr Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad under the column IKIM’s Views on the question of religion and human rights in Malaysia. We the undersigned wrote a rebuttal. The Star has chosen not to publish our rebuttal. We would appreciate the opportunity of presenting a different […]
Religious education for non-Muslim preschoolers?
KENINGAU, 7 May 2009: Nursery schools (tabika) under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry should introduce the subject of religion to their non-Muslim pupils. Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said the approach would be in line with the 1Malaysia concept mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. He said […]
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 […]
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 […]
Jangan putarbelitkan isu pemelukan Islam
Oleh Zulkifli NoordinSAYA sangat tidak bersetuju dengan keputusan kabinet yang mengesyorkan supaya digubal undang-undang untuk menafikan penukaran agama bagi kanak-kanak di bawah 18 tahun. Jawatankuasa itu juga mengesyorkan supaya isu berkaitan ini diberi bidangkuasa kepada Mahkamah Sivil dan bukan Mahkamah Syariah. Saya tidak pasti sama ada kabinet telah benar-benar diberi penerangan tentang kedudukan perlembagaan dan keputusan-keputusan Mahkamah […]
“Religion should make you affirm human rights”
By Shanon ShahBEFORE President Barack Obama, there was presidential candidate Rev Jesse L Jackson, Sr. Although the Baptist minister had previously worked for Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, many were sceptical of his chances when he wanted to run for US president in 1984. Observers — including from his Democratic Party — thought he would garner fringe […]
Umno assembly: debates continue
KUALA LUMPUR, 27 March 2009: The Umno general assembly continues today with the main agenda being the debate on the motion of thanks for the presidential policy speech, and the motions on economy, education and religion. Twelve delegates will participate in the debate which began at 8.30am on the presidential policy speech. The debate would […]
Nazrin on Malay survival
BANGI, 10 March 2009: The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, has called on the Malays to safeguard their culture and tradition as these are crucial to their survival as a race. He said that the Malays already had a unique identity, one “which is tied by customs, knotted by language and coated […]
The pastor for Palestine
By Shanon ShahTHE protests in Malaysia against Israel’s attacks on Gaza have taken on an overwhelmingly Islamic hue. From PAS‘s public demonstrations to the Muslim Consumers Association’s campaign to boycott all Jewish products, the crisis in Gaza has been painted as a proxy war between Muslims and Jews. Some prominent Malaysian Muslims have spoken up against this […]
