On 21 July 2009, the Pahang Shariah High court ordered a Muslim woman be caned 6 times for consuming alcohol in public (read the full news report appended below). This a very praiseworthy action by the authorities there. I am sure other states have similar Shariah rules but this enforcement by Pahang is really laudable indeed. Hopefully this will send a message to Muslims in Malaysia as well as to non-Muslims of how bad alcohol consumption is. Actually the evil of alcohol is known by all, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. However Islam is one religion which is very explicit and unequivocal in its condemnation of alcohol consumption. Proper implementation of Shariah laws by right should be able to completely eradicate the problems associated with alcohol consumption over time. Of course implementation of Shariah laws must be preceded by comprehensive Islamic educational process so that Muslims in Malaysia are aware of what being a Muslim is all about in terms of their perspective towards life in general as well as in terms of the way we lead our daily life regardless of professions.
Moreover, we should take note that Syariah is explicit not only on alcohol but also on other evils such as gambling and usury (Riba). Therefore the Syariah authorities in Pahang and elsewhere should by right also arrest and punish people who are involved in these two evil industries. For example Tan Sri Haniff, the director of Genting, should be hauled to the court to be caned for being involved in gambling business. So should other tycoons in Riba industry. Hopefully this will serve to make them realise that actually they are committing major sins for which they will be punished severely in the fire of Hell in the after-life. Hopefully the realization will make them repent (taubat) before it is too late. It is better to be punished now in this world than to be burned by the fire of Hell in Hereafter.
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(From Star online)
Rotan for having a beer
2009/07/21
By Alina Simon
KUANTAN: A 32-year-old part-time model from Singapore charged with having a beer in a nightclub last year was ordered by the Syariah High Court yesterday to receive six strokes of the rotan.
Kartika Sari Sewi Shu-karno, who pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in public when she made her first court appearance in December, was also fined RM5,000.
The model, who wore a blue baju kurung and black headscarf, kept her head down and was silent as judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Yunus read out the sentence. He said the accused could face a three-year jail term if she could not pay the fine while the rotan would be carried out by federal prison authorities.
He said the sentence was under Section 136 of the Pahang Islamic and Malay Traditional Practices Enactment 1982 (amendment 1987).
"The court reached the judgment after the accused pleaded guilty. We feel the sentence is fair after going through the prosecution's argument and since the rotan is provided for in the law.
"The rotan is aimed at making the accused repent and serves as a lesson to Muslims."
Kartika committed the offence at a hotel night club in Cherating and was arrested during a raid by a team from the state religious department at 1.20am on July 12, 2007.
Her lawyer Mohd Zuki Che Muhamad Ghani said he would file an application for a stay of execution pending an appeal.
This is the second time the Syariah Court here has imposed whipping on a female. The first was on a waitress and a man who were caught together with Kartika during the same operation in Cherating.
The 38-year-old from Kemaman, Terengganu, and the 22-year-old waitress from Selangor were also fined RM5,000 each and ordered to receive six strokes of the rotan.
However, the whipping has yet to be carried out in these cases which are pending appeal.
The sentence for consuming alcohol was made stiffer when the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Tradition Enactment 1982 was amended in 1987.
Under Section 136 of the enactment, those who are found guilty can be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed a maximum of three years, or both, and sentenced to six strokes of the rotan.
Kartika Sari Sewi Shu-karno, who pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in public when she made her first court appearance in December, was also fined RM5,000.
The model, who wore a blue baju kurung and black headscarf, kept her head down and was silent as judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Yunus read out the sentence. He said the accused could face a three-year jail term if she could not pay the fine while the rotan would be carried out by federal prison authorities.
He said the sentence was under Section 136 of the Pahang Islamic and Malay Traditional Practices Enactment 1982 (amendment 1987).
"The court reached the judgment after the accused pleaded guilty. We feel the sentence is fair after going through the prosecution's argument and since the rotan is provided for in the law.
"The rotan is aimed at making the accused repent and serves as a lesson to Muslims."
Kartika committed the offence at a hotel night club in Cherating and was arrested during a raid by a team from the state religious department at 1.20am on July 12, 2007.
Her lawyer Mohd Zuki Che Muhamad Ghani said he would file an application for a stay of execution pending an appeal.
This is the second time the Syariah Court here has imposed whipping on a female. The first was on a waitress and a man who were caught together with Kartika during the same operation in Cherating.
The 38-year-old from Kemaman, Terengganu, and the 22-year-old waitress from Selangor were also fined RM5,000 each and ordered to receive six strokes of the rotan.
However, the whipping has yet to be carried out in these cases which are pending appeal.
The sentence for consuming alcohol was made stiffer when the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Tradition Enactment 1982 was amended in 1987.
Under Section 136 of the enactment, those who are found guilty can be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed a maximum of three years, or both, and sentenced to six strokes of the rotan.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Plight of The Uyghurs
Dear readers,
In recent weeks there have been extensive reports of violent conflicts taking place in Xinjiang. The latest was the killing of 12 Muslim Uyghurs by the Chinese security forces ostensibly for rioting. However there are strong reasons to believe that many of the accounts provided by the Chinese government are inaccurate and untrue. According to some non-governmental sources the victims of the earlier riots were actually predominantly Muslim Uyghurs (more than 800) and not the Han Chinese as reported by the government. Moreover those Muslims who were injured were discriminated against when they tried to seek medical treatments at hospitals.
The main reason for the ongoing conflict in Xinjiang is the resistance by Muslims in Xinjiang towards decades-long attempts by the Chinese government to politically, economically and culturally weaken them. It is a known fact that Muslims in Xinjiang province have been discouraged from practicing their Muslim faith for fear of being discriminated against. These continuous and systematic acts of injustice and discrimination by the Chinese government towards the Uyghurs are the main cause of the violence in Xinjiang which is now spiraling out of control.
The Malaysian government should not be indifferent towards the plight of Muslims in Xinjiang province but should call upon the Chinese government to immediately end all unjust and discriminatory policies towards the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
On our part all of us should do as much as we can to highlight the plight of the Uygurs to relatives, friends and the general public. Hopefully over time as more people become aware of the situation in Xinjiang and express their sympathy for the Uyghurs, the Chinese government will change its policies there. The Prophet in one of his hadiths stated "Whoever does not care about the affair of Muslims is not from among them".
In recent weeks there have been extensive reports of violent conflicts taking place in Xinjiang. The latest was the killing of 12 Muslim Uyghurs by the Chinese security forces ostensibly for rioting. However there are strong reasons to believe that many of the accounts provided by the Chinese government are inaccurate and untrue. According to some non-governmental sources the victims of the earlier riots were actually predominantly Muslim Uyghurs (more than 800) and not the Han Chinese as reported by the government. Moreover those Muslims who were injured were discriminated against when they tried to seek medical treatments at hospitals.
The main reason for the ongoing conflict in Xinjiang is the resistance by Muslims in Xinjiang towards decades-long attempts by the Chinese government to politically, economically and culturally weaken them. It is a known fact that Muslims in Xinjiang province have been discouraged from practicing their Muslim faith for fear of being discriminated against. These continuous and systematic acts of injustice and discrimination by the Chinese government towards the Uyghurs are the main cause of the violence in Xinjiang which is now spiraling out of control.
The Malaysian government should not be indifferent towards the plight of Muslims in Xinjiang province but should call upon the Chinese government to immediately end all unjust and discriminatory policies towards the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
On our part all of us should do as much as we can to highlight the plight of the Uygurs to relatives, friends and the general public. Hopefully over time as more people become aware of the situation in Xinjiang and express their sympathy for the Uyghurs, the Chinese government will change its policies there. The Prophet in one of his hadiths stated "Whoever does not care about the affair of Muslims is not from among them".
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