Saturday, August 03, 2013

DOGgone it all!

Malaysia-Today - Living in the past

In his usual inimitable best, RPK whacked the DOGgone critics of poor Maznah Mohd Yusof, she who loves dogs and of the doggie YouTube fame or notoriety, depending on your sympathies or lack of.


wakakaka

I won't repeat what RPK said in his article so please read it if you want to know more - I strongly recommend it, if anything, just to see how he shows Dr Fathul, CEO of Pertubuhan Ilmuan Malaysia, shot himself in his foot about dogs and cats, wakakaka.



However, having said that, I love one phrase RPK used in his article and thus want to make an exception to my earlier assertion by repeating it here, namely, "... let me venture into an area where angels fear to tread and comment on what Islamic Scholar Dr Fathul Bari has to say about dogs in the Islamic perspective."

RPK's 'angels fear to tread' is from the proverb 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread'. The phrase first appeared in a book written in 1711 by Alexander Pope titled Critical Essays.

According to Wikipedia, Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744) was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. Famous for his use of the heroic couplet, he is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson.

Alexander Pope: 'Doggone it. Bloody Elvis took my immortal line and sang it'

wakakaka

Switching now over to Zaid Ibrahim, you would have noted that recently he wrote some inspirational high level articles in a couple of newspapers where he showed his courage, compassion and leadership qualities.

One of his articles Why the beauty contest is important have been about the religious authorities' draconian suppression or oppression on innocuous areas such as Muslims participating in beauty pageants, where he said that giving in (kaytee's choice of words) a centimetre (eg. Muslim participating in beauty pageants) to the religious authorities will end up eventually in us giving in the whole nine metres of our personal freedom to the clerics, like women can't drive cars, men can't wear shorts, no to music and movies, etc.

He also lamented that the DAP has not come out to defend those Muslim sweeties. Now, that's where the phrase 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread' comes into consideration.

I agree with Zaid that the DAP should have said something but we all also know that the current flammable socio-religious-political climate engineered, encouraged and egged on by UMNO party wannabes doesn't allow a party like the DAP to say anything on Islamic issues or policies, no, not even if they push forward DAP Malay MPs like Mohd Ariff Sabri, Zairil Khir Johari, Senator Ariff Omar or Pahang ADUN Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji to be their representative spokesmen, because whatever these DAP Malay members were to say, UMNO would have twisted and turned their statements into some form of nasty attacks by the Chinese on Islam.

Thus the phrase 'where angels fear to tread' applies to the DAP on Islamic issues and policies but only because of the sinister and evil artificially created tinder-dry powder keg that the Malaysia social-religious-political environment is today, all because UMNO party wannabes are each jockeying for party positions in the coming UMNO party elections.

Only neutrals like Zaid Ibrahim and RPK and indeed the former Mufti of Perlis, Dr Asri, can do so with some degree of impunity.

My uncle told me that eons ago, when Harun Idris was the MB of Selangor, there was a similar brouhaha about participants in beauty contests parading publicly in bikinis, so the crafty MB said he would cover the sweeties up with an additional layer of clothing over their bikinis.

Now, Harun Idris wasn't going to allow any impediment to his aim to promote Selangor as an place for international events as beauty contests, so he dolled those sweeties up in short flimsy and totally transparent negligee. Unc told me the males in the audience were virtually drooling as the negligees made the baby-doll sweeties even more sexy and alluring - you can bet many hubbys' ears were twisted mightily that night, wakakaka.

Malay Mail Online columnist Azrul Mohd Khalib write courageously in his article Beauty is in the eye of the beholder:

The 1997 incident to me was a clear demonstration of what happens when oppressive practices and thinking were allowed to grab hold and dictate our actions. Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had in fact, in the 1997 case, declared that the raid was “not the Islamic way.”

Hmmm, makes you wonder why Dr Mahathir has been so silent today?

Rather than a compassionate, tolerant and gentle understanding and practice of the Islamic faith, the raid was symptomatic of how we have instead cultivated and grown a society which thrives on a form of religious tyranny focused on terrorising, humiliating, entrapping, judging and punishing others.

A few years ago a raid on a restaurant in the Klang Valley by religious authorities ended up with all the Malay girls present forced to line up and be eyeballed by officers to determine whether or not they were wearing indecent attire.

What is considered as “indecent”? Who decides what is “indecent”? This was not the first and certainly not the last example of how our moral sentinels have taken upon themselves in such a way to be God’s hammer and punish who they considered to be wicked. Perhaps for them, punishment in the afterlife for moral sins seems so unsatisfactorily distant, vague and takes too much time.

History has also demonstrated and proven consistently that when the seemingly pious feel the need to demonstrate their piety, their eyes fall upon the female form. There is something about a woman’s body which drives our religious organs into a state of frenzy thus requiring them to find ingenious ways to further control, regulate, repress and dictate.

The rights of women seem to be first ones to be trampled upon when zealots attempt to earn brownie points on their stairway to heaven.

Notice how men, on the other hand, seem to have absolutely no problems or run-ins with the law on the issue of aurat? How often have you seen couples from the Middle East, where the woman is covered top to toe in a flowing all-covering abaya while her male companion is in shorts and T-shirt? I have also yet to hear of a Malay male model or bodybuilder being thrown into a detention cell for allowing the outline of his crown jewels to be seen underneath his underwear or bikini briefs.

The issues at stake are more than just about whether or not there is a swimsuit segment. It’s whether Muslims have the right to partake in dialogue on their own religion, especially when the guardians of the faith are taking us down a dark road which encourages us to victimise, marginalise and persecute others.

Are we going to continue to allow institutions and persons to think or treat themselves as being unaccountable to the people and to hide behind the blanket of religion in order to avoid justifying their actions and to act with impunity?

We should no longer be willing to blindly obey rulings and pronouncements made in the name of our religion especially when they are arrogant, unjust or cruel. The ulama do not have the divine mandate or right to be the sole authority to speak on matters which affect our religion or its interpretations.

We, as the ummah or congregation of the faith, should all be part of that conversation and not remain silent. It is our religion too.

We shouldn’t be threatened with investigations simply for questioning the rationale for actions or ruling by religious authorities. That there should be no compulsion in religion is a central tenet in Islam.

Besides Zaid Ibrahim, Dr Asri and RPK, we may now add Azrul Mohd Khalib to the list of neutral and courageous Muslims.

Anyway, on the current and more DOGgone issue, Zaid was quoted by The Malay Mail Online as saying he ... denounced the police action on the 38-year-old woman as excessive in relation to her purported offence.

He observed that Maznah had been treated like a criminal who posed a serious security threat to the country when she had yet to be charged, let alone convicted by a court of law.'

“I think they have taken a high-handed approach ... everyone is paranoid,” said the former lawyer who once ran the country’s largest legal firm, Zaid Ibrahim & Co.

“Everybody is influenced by public opinion and everybody is scared to do the right thing,” he added.

The 62-year-old took to Twitter yesterday following the announcement of a two-day remand order for Maznah, ostensibly to aid in further investigation under the Sedition Act and section 298A of the Penal Code, which includes a variety offences, namely causing “disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing, etc, the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.”

Without naming anyone, Zaid posted a series of tweets where he hit out at the authorities over what he perceived to be a trigger-happy reaction to issues concerning Muslims and Islam.

“Muslims in Malaysia don't do naughty things. So anything outside the norm; like having dogs as pet; or buying 4 digits not tolerated."

“They are treated like criminals; remanded; become subject of speeches by top leaders. Muslims are protected species,” he posted in a series of tweets on his Twitter account, @zaidibrahim.

He added: “Malay Rulers used to keep dogs as pets. Those days Islam was not under threat and Muslims were human and allowed to be such.”

Indeed, my uncle told me that the late Sultan of Kelantan, granddad of the current HRH Sultan Kelantan, kept several German Shepherds (Alsatian gods) and even had a Chinese dog trainer on his palace staff. My uncle who visited the late HRH at his palace in Kota Baru as part of a military group was entertained to tea by his gracious Highness who took the occasion to show off his highly trained German Shepherds.

The current doggie brouhaha can be traced to DPM Muhyiddin's premature attack against the DAP for the DOGgone issue, believing the doggie YouTube video was by a Chinese a la the Alvivi Duo's bah-kut-teh provocation, and a hot issue he must have thought with gleeful delight that he could grab DAP by the balls again through shoving the doggie YouTube episode down their throats.

FMT reported in its article Probe Muhyiddin for sedition: Muhyiddin, on Tuesday [30 July]  made the “offensive” remarks after a reporter asked him to comment on Maznah’s controversial video, which depicted her celebrating Hari Raya with her three dogs.

Maznah’s three-year-old video had sparked an uproar among some Muslims, who had misinterpreted her Raya greeting as an attempt to equate Muslims with dogs.

Muhyiddin had told reporters: “Muslims do not insult the religion of non-Muslims … But non-Muslims are insulting our religion.”

He was apparently unaware that Maznah, who goes by the name of Chetz in the video, is a Muslim.

The Umno vice-president’s statement also flies in the face of party affiliate Zulkifli Nordin’s insult of the Hindu religion, and Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali’s call for Muslims to burn Malay language bibles.

Too late, they found that her worth as a 'weapon' to attack DAP or the Chinese for being anti-Islam was a dud because she is a Malay and a Muslim.


So the show must continue to preserve Muhyiddin's face (it's not just the Chinese who care about 'face', wakakaka). Thus, unlike the UMNO-teflonised Zulkifli Nordin or Ibrahim Ali, Maznah Mohd Yusof had to be remanded on the excuse of investigation.

Poor Maznah has become collateral damage in Muhyiddin's and UMNO's attack against the Chinese.

DOGgone it!

15 comments:

  1. Haven't we arrived at a stage where anything that causes hurt to one race is automatically attributed to another ?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Zaid and the others' effort, while admirable, is too little and too late. Religious conservatism proves to be too strong for anyone to challenge it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In my travels to many countries, those considered Islamic and also non-Islamic countries, I've many times met Muslims who keep dogs.
    They are either loved as pets, like any other peoples, or kept as guards for home security.

    As far as I know, they are practicing Muslims who attend the mosque on Fridays, fast during Ramadhan etc, so these are not "murtad" types.

    I don't claim any deep knowledge about Islam, but it certainly looks to me like keeping dogs isn't a violation of the Muslim religion.

    Why is it such a heinous offence in Malaysia that merits a Muslim being remanded in jail, and probably headed for a criminal charge?

    ReplyDelete
  4. This country is doggone ! The liberal voices from the Malay muslims who spoke up are too few and it is by the grace of the internet we even get to hear from them. And the non Muslims must keep absolutely mute, otherwise it is like lighting up a match in a forest during a severe drought season....imagine the holocaust hell fire that could erupt should the 'Nons' were to weigh in what these holiest-of-the-holy considered to be none of the kaffirs' business.

    ReplyDelete
  5. When it comes to matters concerning Islam, Malaysia is gaining all the trappings of a totalitarian state.

    Regulations on Muslims are made by fiat imposed by an unaccountable elite - fatwas - by-passing the constitutional principle that government authority can only be sanctioned by laws passed by elected legislature.

    Many states also have laws which prohibit even the questioning and objections to fatwas.

    When it becomes a crime even to question the merits of and criticise government regulations, policies and actions - we are not even talking about actually breaking those regulations - that is what you call a totalitarian state - and Malaysia is becoming one.

    It will be dangerous for non-Muslims to be indifferent to this - its all too easy for similar totalitarian attitudes to be extended to civil matters, whic is already happening.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't understand why people compare practices overseas when they see before their eyes the practices are different here. These people are always selective.
    The issue is straightforward. To Muslims here, according to shafie school (that's our official following and practiced by most Muslims) touching dogs saliva or wet dogs is considered najis. To the uninitiated, human feces and urine are najis. But touching the dogs is worse in than that.It is the highest form of najis requiring a more arduous process of cleansing. Failing which, one can't even pray. Thus you see why Muslims here avoid and are adverse to dogs. You all know it. Even my non Muslims fans know it. And Chetz chose to make public by showing how to celebrate Raya. To most Muslims, Raya is to celebrate with family the achievement of a long month of puasa and religious activities. This girl has asked us to celebrate with dogs who many consider impure.
    Man, you guys have Incredible understanding on how you pick liberal Muslims to front a view to match your views rather than understanding how we feel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CBMF,

      U MUST be one hell of a troglodyte with selective mindset.

      Yr take ‘..To Muslims here, according to shafie school (that's our official following and practiced by most Muslims) touching dogs saliva or wet dogs is considered najis.’

      So, is this a fatwa?

      The key word here, may I remind u, is ‘shafie school’.

      Then, have u read anything into that piece of shit between the ear about KT’s article on “The god of MEN”?


      How about ‘..fatwa being only a guide or learned opinion by an expert and is not binding in Sunni Islam.’ & ‘..in contrast to Sunni Islam, Shia Islam considers a fatwa as binding!’???

      So, which is which? R u a Sunni,who think that fatwa is not binding. Or a Shia, who is part of the Sunni & yet think that fatwa is binding?. Or better still, u r both, as yr believe has NO distinction about which sects the doctrines arose, as long as u CAN be selective????

      Do bear in mind that there r many open-minded (liberal?????) arguments put forward by yr fellow Malays, saying the contradictory explanation!

      Perhaps, u should also read this latest, “The great dog debate revisited”, by Rusaslina Idrus in TMI.

      Of course u MUST not pre-disposed (just like yr hp6 champion, The Moos) yrself about opinion mentioned in this left-wing paper.

      Now, ‘…, you guys have Incredible understanding on how you pick liberal Muslims to front a view to match your views rather than understanding how we feel.’ apply to who?????

      Delete
    2. Dear CBMF,

      First you have shown how racist you are in the previous comments. Now you are proud to show your ignorance to the world. Malay call it bodoh SOMBONG. You have no inkling what Shia and Sunni is and make erroneous dumb assertion. Please read first before you even write. There's plenty of Sunni Shia article on web. Jangan malas membaca. Once you have elementary knowledge then ill retort. I don't like to educate those who are bodoh sombong

      Delete
    3. CBMF,

      1st let me remind u AGAIN; don’t dear me. U r NO friend of mine. Not anywhere close as compare to my pet dog, comprendi????

      Sine u r not friend of mine, I consider yr labeling of me as a racist a pure Fitnah, in this holy month of Ramadhan, as u definitely don’t known me well enough to call me anything!

      Whereas, I’ve deep contempt for u, 1st for what u’d written, in various post all over the blogsphere, 2nd, for desecrating Islam for twisting its messages. More so during Ramadhan.

      Now, let get back to the real stuff!

      Wasn’t u who claimed that ‘I justified my stand.’, a few articles back? Someone had picked it up & disputed yr take! & u keep quiet after been kicked between the leg? From my recent ‘dealings’ with u, u hadn’t even ben able to dispute my logics with ANY concrete & rigorous proof. The Tony Phua vernacular text was clearly taken out of contxt by u & all u can said was read it again!

      In fact, throughout all yr arguments, put forwards, here & other blogs, u stubbornly used this same tactic. Oop! ‘Once you have elementary knowledge then ill retort. I don't like to educate those who are bodoh sombong’ – repeat after me 10X. When u losed any argument, u ran with tail behind yr legs.

      Remember, too, that I’m the one that start calling u bodoh sombong! U do learn fast, by just picking. Where’s the understanding?

      Now, this ‘You have no inkling what Shia and Sunni is and make erroneous dumb assertion.’!

      I don’t need to justify to u what I know about Islam, both theological & historical, bcoz a troglodyte cant understand aeroplane, if it only see the shape. So to help u understand Islam I quote known current intellectuals & enlightened writers. & yet all u can master, is interpretations from a bygone age, that has zilch relevancy to modern day. So much for a cave-dweller mentality.

      Perhaps, it’s u who should read first before u even write. BTW, read meaning combs through the pages thoroughly – not just read someone else commentaries/summaries!

      Now, go & read in front of the mirror & hopefully a racist u wouldn’t see from the reflection!

      No maaf zahir & batin for u!

      Delete
  7. Latest news is the DPM denies he "...specifically mention that non Muslims had belittled and mocked Islam..."
    http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v7/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=968169

    But if you go to the Prime Minister's website (http://www.pmo.gov.my/tpm/?tpm=pages-news:lang-BI&id=5910), it is reported that:
    " ... "But non-Muslims are insulting our religion," he said at the breaking of fast with orphans of Rumah Amal Kasih Bestari here Tuesday..."

    ReplyDelete
  8. Say No to Ramadan liars4:53 pm, August 04, 2013

    "Tetapi yang berlaku di sini, bukan Islam memperlekehkan dan mempersenda agama kita," katanya (Muhyiddin) semasa berucap pada majlis berbuka puasa bersama Anak-Anak Rumah Amal Kasih Bestari di Putrajaya, hari ini.
    "Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) dan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) perlu cepat mengambil tindakan supaya kejadian ini tidak terus berulang," katanya.(Muhyiddin) - Bernama, 30 Julai, 2013."

    Moo (lembu) -yiddin was clearly referring to the video.
    Now that the video has been exposed as not made by non-Muslims , he is trying to backpedal.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ellesse

    where were you when the Stamford thievery happened? you were not around to condemn it rite? and now the same Stamford fiasco architect alleged non-muslims are responsible. look who is nit-picking?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Anon,

      I think you're the one being nit picky. I wrote about the issue which KT wrote. If I'm nit picky then KT and so many people here and out there are also nitpicky. Mine is a pure retort to what KT wrote.

      So why are you being nit picky over me and not others who also touch on this issue?

      Delete
  10. As I see it, dogs are considered dirty and impure by Muslims due to the high incidence of rabies in those days. I would also not want to go near an infected dog nor even touch it with a 10 foot pole.

    What I find contradicting is that touching the dog's saliva is najis but it is acceptable to eat what the hunting dogs catch. And dogs catch preys with their teeth and their saliva and whatever viruses or germs they carry, would easily have gone into the bloodstream of the animals they catch. I guess they will have to cook the food thoroughly.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Just want to add to Rocketman's observation on Muslims and dogs.
    Back in the 1980's I worked several years in Saudi Arabia for an Aramco contractor, out in the oil-fields deep in the desert. The only Arabs I got to know on a friendly basis were Bedouins (Badawi!).
    At the time there were still Bedouins who lived at least part of the year in their traditional nomadic tents. Not sure about now.
    Most Bedouins kept dogs around their camps. Out in the open desert, with no fences or electric lights, dogs are far more reliable and effective than human sentries in detecting strangers and potential threats.
    I was told its permissible in Islam to keep guard dogs.
    The unspoken bit is that when people keep these highly intelligent and loyal creatures around the family, inevitably they get loved and cherished (effectively becoming .....pets!)

    ReplyDelete