Early this year, in the wake of the R Moorthy saga, I blogged on SUHAKAM Chairman: "Civil Court Judges Lack Balls", when Abu Talib Othman, chairman of SUHAKAM and former Attorney-General, and ironically the man who drafted Article 121(1)(A), castigated (or if you like castrated) some judges of the Civil Courts.
I also blogged an accompanying piece titled Article 121(1)(A) - What terrified the Civil Courts!.
In the former posting I mentioned that human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz told Abu Talib about judges who admitted to being Muslims first rather than judges. Abu Talib went into righteous spiral and advised Malik to report the matter, and if there was evidence, those judges should be removed.
Abu Talb said of such judges: “They are unfit to be judges, then. Judges should remember their constitutional oath to protect and uphold the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land.”
But Imtiaz said that the Moorthy’s case was not unique as such cases have become almost a daily occurrence but which the media had not reported. Imtiaz said what Abu Talib himself said, that judges of civil courts are currently avoiding or rejecting cases whenever there is anything vaguely Islamic in those cases.
Since then Malik has not endeared himself with the more intolerant element within the Malaysian Muslim community. He bore the brunt of many Muslim groups for his involvement in the Article 11 coalition which holds public forums on freedom of religion.
Some Muslims reckoned the Article 11 Coalition is an insidious movement attempting to undermine the Islamic faith among Muslims, so Malik was looked upon as a traitor to Islam.
Malik also added on to those Muslims’ annoyance when he held watching brief on behalf of the Bar Council in the Lina Joy’s appeal against the decision by the National Registration Department (NRD).
Joy, who was a Muslim, has converted to Christianity 16 years ago but the NRD has refused to remove her former religious denomination from her identity card.
Now, there is a leaflet circulating around calling for the death of Malik Imtiaz over his involvement in the Lina Joy apostasy case.
ABIM, the Muslim Youth Movement, has denounced the threat in the leaflet as violating both Islamic and federal laws, and said it does not condone the use of violence against anyone even if it disagrees with Malik’s opinions.
Its president Yusri Mohamad said: “We want the authorities to launch an immediate investigation to identify the parties responsible for the leaflet.”
“This is based on the principle that differing views on Islam must be resolved through Islamic morals and ethics and not by force. The use of force, mockery, rude words and death threats has no place in a civilised society.”
OK, I want to hear some words from PAS, UMNO and PKR.
heh. Some blogger on PPS needs to be investigated too for calling for murder.
ReplyDelete_earth,
ReplyDeleteI hear ya and perfectly understood WHO you meant. Shall we call him a 'Murder-Instigator'?
When I saw the report about this flyer, my initial thought was, "Gee, why am I not surprised?"
ReplyDeleteAnd the reason is as what my two blogger friends previously are referring to. Not only has this individual called for "death to apostates", an action which he has arrogantly defended, he has also been continually posting (through the sites he is involved with) what the lady looks like, and most recently a group photo of the lady and the defense council, with not too complementary a write-up. If all that isn't incitement, then I honestly don't know what is.
Having said all this, I'm not implying that the death-threat is due to his postings, per se. I see that as merely a symptom of a bigger problem - that of feeling justified for being intollerant, and the belief of being on the right side of the argument (semi-pun intended). Emotions are running in overload mode, it appears.
This is what happens when common sense and intelligence (which many conservatives see as being 'worldly' and misguided) are abdicated, while emotion and sentiments are allowed to be fanned. I pray that no one actually gets hurt (or worse), and that sensibility, in the end, prevails. God-willing.
Ironically someone who claims to have submitted completely to Allah swt has daringly usurped HIS prerogative of judgement.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned, I want to hear some words from PAS, UMNO and PKR.