Dear PM10, why the total silence on those who threatened Nik Elin and her daughter?

Dear PM10, why the total silence on those who threatened Nik Elin and her daughter?

23 Feb 2024

FLK
Used to do a bit of work in corporate restructuring, corporate `undertaker.

Image credit: Malay Mail


As far back as Aug 2023, Minister for Religious Affairs reportedly urged state religious authorities, statutory bodies relating to Islam and religion related NGOs to involve themselves in the Nik Elin Zurina against Kelantan government case either as an intervener, watching brief or amicus curiae.


Despite the advice, PAS held several similar protests in Terengganu on Nov 16, 2023 and in Kelantan on Nov 18, 2023 where the President of PAS reportedly urged their members and supporters to play their parts to protest against such move.


On 20 Nov 2023, the Chief Justice reportedly said the petition was not about undermining the position of Islam and syariah but simply on the competency of the Kelantan state legislature to legislate on the impugned provisions.


Then on 21 Nov 2023, in a reply in the Dewan Rakyat to a question from the MP of Gua Musang on the Federal Government's stance on the notice of petition, you warned those not to politicise the notice of petition filed by Nik Elin Zurina by linking the legal suit as an attempt to “challenge” the Syariah law in the country.


As pointed out by you in your reply, the entire process i.e from the Notice of Motion for leave on May 25, 2022 to the granting of the leave on Sept 30, 2022 to the filing of the petition on Oct 13, 2022 was undertaken by the petitioners when the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition together with UMNO was occupying Putrajaya.


And during this period, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Parliament and Law was the Secretary General of PAS.


Based on these facts, it was obvious that PAS has every opportunity to oppose and object to this petition, firstly during the Notice of Motion for leave by applicant and then when the petition was filed in Oct 13, 2022.


But they did not.


In 2021, PAS also did not object and call for their members and supporters to play their parts to protest when an individual Muslim challenged the constitutionality and validity of Section 28 of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995 with the Federal Court agreeing and declaring Section 28 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995 as void for being unconstitutional.


It is obvious that PAS knew that if they go through the proper route i.e opposing the challenge legally and through the legal process, their action will likely be rejected.


They rather let it proceed and then make a political issue out of it knowing that the general populace do not have the habit of reading and understanding the facts of the matter but only read the headlines regardless of whether it is misleading or not.


Be that as it may, what disappoints many of the ordinary rakyat was your failure to come out strongly to condemn the death threats and possible violence that could be inflicted on the mother and daughter who submitted the petition.


In a posting on X on 12 Feb 2024, the daughter revealed that she and her mother have been receiving death threats as early as 6 months ago.


The mother also disclosed that she had lodged three police reports over the countless death threats as at 10 Feb 2024.


After a lapse of one week, only after seeing the huge public outcry which includes various NGO and civil society groups openly condemning the death threats against the mother and daughter, PAS joined in the chorus.


What about you PM10?


The ordinary rakyat was looking to you to provide strong leadership and expect you to warn those threatening physical harm and violence on fellow Malaysians that you will bring the full force of the law on anyone or groups that continue and persist in their threats be it now or in the future.


You only warned people not to politicize the decision of the Federal Court.


You were very insistent in calling on the ordinary rakyat to stop all criticisms and condemnations on the Pardons Board episode.


And you fell short in this case where the lives of 2 fellow Malaysians were being threatened by other fellow Malaysians.

FLK is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme.