‘I don’t regret it one bit,’ says Siti Kasim
Lawyer who made insulting gesture at forum insists the proposed amendments to Act 355 seek to confer shariah courts with “unlimited power to impose all other hudud punishments”.
(FMT) – Controversial lawyer-cum-activist Siti Kasim does not regret showing her middle finger to those who attended Monday’s forum on the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355).
Taking the matter to Facebook, Siti said the forum on “Pindaan Akta 355: Antara Realiti Dan Persepsi” (“Act 355 Amendment: Between Reality and Perception”) was filled with “Islamist hooligans” and “brainwashed morons” – those who deserved to be shown the finger.
She also said that unlike other forums she had been to, the one organised by Karangkraf Group was attended by those who believed they were upholding God’s laws and, hence, couldn’t accept a dissenting voice like hers.
“I have been to so many forums. I have asked hard-hitting questions but never in my wildest dreams (did I think) that someday I will show a finger in a forum to the audience,” she wrote last night.
“I don’t regret it one bit. To me, those Islamist hooligans deserve the finger and more.
“Crass? Rude? Since when a woman cannot be crass and rude in the face of hooligans and brainwashed morons?”
She then pointed out that one of the speakers present, PAS Secretary-General Takiyuddin Hassan, had misled the audience while explaining the proposed amendments to Act 355.
“The speakers from PAS and Umno insisted it is not a hudud bill. Of course, it is not a hudud bill, but it has everything to do with hudud.”
She said without this amendment regarding the punishment allowed for shariah courts, PAS wouldn’t be able to mete out the punishment already stated in their hudud enactment.
Takiyuddin and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom had denied that this is the case, saying the amendments are meant to increase the powers of shariah courts in regards to offences already provided in the 1965 Act.
Siti, however, claimed that the Private Member’s Bill brought to Parliament by PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang, sought to confer shariah courts with “unlimited power to impose all other hudud punishments”.
These hudud offences include offences like zina (adultery), qazaf (false accusation of committing zina), syrub (alcohol consumption) and irtidad or riddah (apostasy) and according to the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code (II) (1993) 2015 Enactment, punishment for these is whipping, ranging from 40 to 100 lashes, she said.
“The Bill also seeks to substitute the existing Section 2 in Act 355 with a new section that appears to widen the scope of the shariah court’s existing criminal jurisdiction, which is currently limited to offences by Muslims against Islam,” Siti alleged.
To those who questioned her objection to the Islamic laws, Siti said she did so as they weren’t God’s laws.
She also said that Malays and Muslims must be allowed to discuss the set punishments and proposed that they be given the choice to either be governed under the secular laws or religious laws.
“I refuse to be governed by these man-made laws under the pretext of Islam. These people are selling Islam. We have been duped for so long.
“I am fearful that these mullahs are taking me away from the true Islam. The Islam that I know is beautiful and full of compassion.”
Siti said these hardliners were not easy to convince due to the complete brainwashing by their mullahs.
They keep saying why we want to stop them from practising their beliefs, she said.
“Those Malays who do not want to be governed under these man-made religious laws, should be allowed to opt out.”
Siti said she would never submit to these man-made laws disguised under the cloak of Islam.
