Secularism means Islam and Prophet Muhammad can be questioned
Malaysia can choose to be like Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc., and impose strict sedition, heresy and apostasy laws or it can be like Secular France where there is absolute and total freedom of opinion and freedom of expression and where there are no ‘sacred cows’, whether it involves the Monarchy or God and the so-called religious faiths created by humans to control the minds of the weak and stupid.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
It’s often said by those of faith that we secularists and atheists aren’t free to criticise their beliefs simply because they are held so dearly. This idea, that religious beliefs ought to be held in a special place, is a terrible one. We should be free to criticise all beliefs. We should push for change. We should empower the secularists, atheists and agnostics. We should allow them to have a voice on all matters. (REASON OVER FAITH: The freedom to criticise).
Freedom of opinion and freedom of expression may hurt but that is what freedoms are all about
Since May 2018, Malaysians have hailed the change of government and the birth of NEW Malaysia or Malaysia BARU. In the NEW Malaysia there are more freedoms compared to the old Malaysia of 1957-2018, a period that spanned six Prime Ministers, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad included.
Many draconian laws (according to what DAP and the then opposition used to say) such as the Sedition Act, etc., must be abolished so that more freedoms are allowed. Key Pakatan Harapan personalities, such as Kadir Jasin, etc., say even the nine Rulers and His Majesty the Agong are no longer ‘sacred cows’ and can be questioned and criticised (and at times even insulted and shamed).
DAP insists that Tunku Abdul Rahman had once announced that Malaysia is a Secular State and not an Islamic State
DAP insists that Malaysia is NOT an Islamic State but a Secular State. To drive the point home, they frequently quote First Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman who once announced that Malaysia is a Secular State and not an Islamic State. (They do not quote Mahathir who also once announced that Malaysia is a fundamentalist Islamic country).
Anyway, there appears to be utter confusion as to what Malaysia really is. There is a NEW Malaysia and the OLD Malaysia. There is the Secular Malaysia and the fundamentalist Islamic Malaysia. There is the Malaysia that allows freedom of speech and the Malaysia that stifles free speech by arresting and prosecuting people under the Sedition Act.
Will the REAL Malaysia please stand up!
What difference is there between the so-called ‘moderate’ Muslims of Pakatan Harapan and the ‘extremists’ of PAS?
Anyway, just for the record, I support the belief that we are now in the NEW Malaysia and that in the NEW Malaysia there has to be absolute freedom of opinion and freedom of expression. No longer are there ‘sacred cows’ that are above criticism and any laws that stifle these freedoms must be abolished.
I do not believe that you cannot make fun of a person’s turban (Muslim, Sikh, or whatever) such as saying the turban is too tight it is restricting the flow of blood to the brain. Disallowing jokes about turbans goes against the very essence of freedom of opinion and freedom of expression.
There is no such thing as ‘forbidden questions’ in a Secular State, which is what DAP says the NEW Malaysia is
Islam and Prophet Muhammad can be questioned and the belief that Islam, Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an are perfect and flawless cannot be used as the basis to prevent criticism or questions regarding the Muslim faith.
Malaysia can choose to be like Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc., and impose strict sedition, heresy and apostasy laws or it can be like Secular France where there is absolute and total freedom of opinion and freedom of expression and where there are no ‘sacred cows’, whether it involves the Monarchy or God and the so-called religious faiths created by humans to control the minds of the weak and stupid.
In a Secular State this is called freedom of opinion and freedom of expression and is not a crime
