PAS should accept public rejection of its puritanism
Even more troubling is that both parties failed to rebut firmly such proposed interference by PAS. Far from blaming Barisan Nasional for raising these embarrassments to Pakatan Rakyat, the coalition must look within itself to make peace with modern social realities, particularly as a general election approaches.
The Star
ALL sane and responsible people understand the need to live by certain ethical values and moral standards. Malaysians, generally, have never been an “anything goes” people.
But at the same time, many of us also realise that these values and standards tend to be subjective, being personal or communal in scope, limits and interpretation. All modern societies are heterogeneous spaces with myriad tastes and expressions, afforded between the rights of citizens and the laws of the land.
However much we may sometimes wish to see our values and standards apply throughout society, beyond what is commonly provided for by societal consensus and existing laws, formal codes that set the limits still need to undergo due process in being fashioned by enlightened minds and fettled by mature policymakers.
That means we must avoid imposing our values and standards on others beyond what is deemed acceptable by society at large. When imposition involves political application, and more so the actualisation of a particular group’s supposed norms on the whole country, we need to be doubly circumspect.
That is why the PAS edict in Kelantan barring hairdressers of one gender from attending to clients of another is so troubling. The worst is assumed in the business relationship between all vendors and customers without any basis whatsoever, incurring business losses to many innocent parties through unjust fines and unwarranted prohibitions.
Such unreasonable strictures apply on various fronts, including entertainment and sports. At the recent PAS party conference, there was self-criticism over a perceived failure to “set policies” for PKR and DAP on these issues.
Even more troubling is that both parties failed to rebut firmly such proposed interference by PAS. Far from blaming Barisan Nasional for raising these embarrassments to Pakatan Rakyat, the coalition must look within itself to make peace with modern social realities, particularly as a general election approaches.
PAS has ventured overzealously into similar issues before and had been rejected roundly by the people. It should accept the unpopularity of its stand and seek to revise it, renounce it or just forget it.
We understand that PAS now wants to press the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry for tighter curbs on future music concerts. It should try an independently monitored referendum on the subject instead, and see how the public respond.
