Hudud is the start of the slippery slope to hell

By admin-s Last updated May 2, 2014

You are wrong to think that hudud will not affect the non-Malays. Historical and cultural treasures, like the Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan and the ancient Sufi shrines in Timbuktu, Mali were destroyed because they were perceived as idols. Recently, one retired judge criticised the statues outside Batu Caves and the Buddhist temples in Penang. What had he in mind?

Mariam Mokhtar, The Ant Daily

The women of Afghanistan have to fight for the right to an education. Saudi women are banned from driving. The women and children of these countries are frequently abused. The Muslim countries with hudud are not free of rape, incest, adultery or corruption.

Do you know of any strict Muslim countries where the people are not oppressed or are not trying to escape to the West and claim asylum?

Divorced Malay women confide that Syariah laws are discriminatory. Many of them fought expensive and time-consuming battles to get what is rightfully theirs, but most gave up halfway.

First wives complain that their husbands marry again without first obtaining their permission. Men look for loopholes in Syariah laws whilst women claim that the laws are poorly enforced. A fine of a thousand ringgit for the men is not a deterrent.

The Malaysian judiciary was compromised in the 1980s and today, we don’t have faith in the civil law. Why should we trust the Syariah law, where the more powerful voices invoke the name of God to force others into submission?

There have been several miscarriages of justice, so it would be wrong to consider hudud. Once a limb is gone, it cannot be regrown.

Two words describe the cause of the rot in our judiciary and religious institutions: Mahathir Mohamad. In the 1980s, Mahathir compromised the judiciary and started the Allah row.

The non-Malays believe that Malays are privileged because Malays are the beneficiaries of affirmative action policies. Only Malays qualify for certain government tenders. Only Malays are eligible for certain land applications or scholarships. Fewer hurdles are presented for Malays wishing to enter the armed forces or the civil service.

Umno Baru courts the Malays and “reward” them with discriminatory policies. Their ulterior motive is not their love of the Malay. These policies are designed to ensure that Umno Baru can count on the Malay vote. “You vote for me, and I’ll give you some titbits”, is the usual Umno Baru mantra. The “cream” is reserved for the Umno Baru elite.

No one need envy the Malays because they are the most oppressed, most despised and the most restricted race in Malaysia.