This is not Islam

By admin-s Last updated May 2, 2014

Replacing a system that has served us well, with one that has not been proven to work elsewhere is irresponsible. Disguising it in the name of Islam is plain disgusting.

Kamal Amzan, MMO

I miss the “good” old days when national headlines were worth reading. The papers spoke of the North-South Highway, the Multimedia Supercorridor, the building of a super expensive, beautiful and elegant airport.

We debated the pros and the cons of having not one, but two Petronas Towers, were excited by the introduction of PPSMI, took pride in hosting the Commonwealth Games, and showed other Muslim countries what we could do by chairing the OIC.

No matter our political opinions, we were a good example of moderation, tolerance, and how a Muslim majority country can progress while remaining peaceful, stable when others failed.

But fast forward to 2014 and we have regressed. We are headless, rudderless and spineless as we wade into the 21st century and head towards where other basket case countries await us.

We display similarly frightful symptoms. We started and perfected the art of banning artists, books, comics and cartoons deemed offensive to Muslims. A similar fate befell yoga, Poco-poco, Valentine’s Day and the latest kerfuffle was on how to offer condolences to non-Muslims.

People who claim to be religious scholars demand that non-Muslims tread on eggshells around Malaysian Muslims, assuming that Muslims are spiritually, mentally and psychologically handicapped, whose feelings are very easily bruised and hurt.

Quran (7:198-189), “When you invite them to the guidance, they do not hear. And you see them looking at you, but they do not see. You shall resort to pardon, advocate tolerance, and disregard the ignorant.”

Have the scholars not read the Quran?

What happened to the thousands of religious teachers we spent so much on for an education in failed Muslim countries? What are they learning over there?

Sometimes I wonder whether our leaders realise we are on the path to a disaster that could lead to irreparable, unimaginable damage to the social fabric that currently binds us all together.

Because if they do, they would not agree to PAS’s version of hudud.

Not withstanding the fact that we are a secular country, there is absolutely no need for it in Malaysia.

What are we trying to achieve? Are we trying to free up prisons? Create more one-handed people for vocational teachers to train? Or instilling fear among citizens and visitors, and to send investors with employment opportunities away?

Or worse, are we trying to be Arabs? Or other failed Third World Muslim countries? Or perhaps the Bruneians?

Believe it or not, Islam emphasises justice. And as long as our system is just, work is done to improve and enforce the existing laws to serve and protect both the accused and the accuser while keeping abuse in check ― that is Islamic enough.