Posted on 06/07/2002 6:41:23 PM PDT by knighthawk
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's Muslim opposition party plans to defy the government again next month by introducing strict Islamic laws in a second state it rules, even though the constitution bars their use, party officials have said.
Constitutionally, the federal government controls the criminal code and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who represents a modern brand of Islam, takes the stance that strict sharia (Islamic) laws are difficult to apply in a country that values pluralism and tolerance.
Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) has already enacted the penal code or "hudud", which carries punishments like death by stoning for adultery and amputation of limbs for theft, in the northeast state of Kelantan.
But the federal government refuses to sanction its use.
PAS is now planning to do the same in neighbouring Terengganu -- the second state it took control of in elections in 1999.
"It is the duty of the state government of Terengganu as an Islamic government to enact these laws," Dr. Mohd Hatta Ramli, a PAS central committee member told Reuters. "If there was a sympathetic federal government they would be used."
Terengganu's Chief Minister Abdul Hadi Awang, the deputy spiritual leader of PAS, is known for his blunt dogma and his party wants to turn multi-cultural Malaysia, where just over half the 23 million population is Muslim, into an Islamic theocracy.
The federal constitution guarantees freedom of religion for non-Muslims and does not define the state as Islamic.
Rais Yatim, the minister for legal affairs in the prime minister's office, said last week all state legislation needed consent from the Attorney-General's chambers to ensure they were in line with federal laws.
But, Abdul Hadi says the draft bill will not be submitted for vetting before it is tabled in the state assembly.
"We feel our obligation to God is greater than fulfilling the demands of the AG's chambers," the chief minister was quoted as saying in the New Straits Times daily.
Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail said he wanted to avoid being dragged into a public, political debate.
"I don't want to get into a media war," he told Reuters on Thursday.
OPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE
Women's groups have decried the state government's moves to introduce laws they say could result in oppression and injustice, especially against women.
"We urge the Terengganu state government to end its mysogynistic attitude," eleven women's groups wrote in a letter, published by PAS newspaper Harakah.
The "hudud" code stipulates that rape victims unable to prove sex was forced upon them can be sentenced to 80 and 100 lashes. The code also says at least four Muslim men must have witnessed such a rape and women cannot become legal witnesses.
Hadi's political secretary Husin Ismail said Terengganu would table the proposed sharia bill in its state legislative assembly on July 7, but added that there would be amendments.
He did not say what the changes would be.
"We are also sensitive to women's rights," Husin said over the telephone from Terengganu's capital, Kuala Terengganu. "The Attorney-General can study the law after we pass it."
An honest Muslim. Sad. He is a dead man for sure just as soon as some looney Imam issues the fatwa.
Any Muslim who follows the Koran and Hadith to the letter wants to return to the barbaric Seventh Century. There is no tolerance in Islam for infidels. A "good" Muslim living under Sharia Law knows that the infidels must convert to Islam or they risk being overtaxed, cheated, DECEIVED, raped, enslaved, or be put to death with little if any consequences. After all, infidels exist only at the whim of the "Faithful."
When the Hell are people going to wake up and realize it IS Islam that's the enemy! Root it out, root and branch!
"his party wants to turn multi-cultural Malaysia, where just over half the 23 million population is Muslim, into an Islamic theocracy."
And when will France become over half Muslim? Italy? Germany? Britain? Sweden???????????
"rape victims unable to prove sex was forced upon them can be sentenced to 80 and 100 lashes""at least four Muslim men must have witnessed such a rape and women cannot become legal witnesses"
Barbra Streissand and Jane Fonda are gonna getta a big kick outta Islam when they finally succeed in bringing it to America!
"Muslims should continue to be afraid, very afraid of the consequences of any further crap the world has to take from them. "--amstaff1
Well, there's always Medina....
"Even though the Constitution bars them"
Gee, that sounds so familiar..
(you got a pesky Constitution that's messing up your day? Call 1-800-345-con-x for a free kit on how to turn that nasty old document into something useful, like a kite or masking paper.. Act now!)
I have noticed that when you confront the muslims who try to tell us just how nice and peaceful islam is, know that you are right when you confront them with stuff like this.
They need to stop convincing us, but rather convince their fellow-muslims that they need to stop the violence.
If one carefully studies the Koran, Hadith and Sharia Law, it is obvious that an awful lot of Muslims want to see the whole world become as "enlightened" as Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan under the Taliban. These fanatics are dangerous nutcases and ignorant savages who think that going back to the barbaric society and thinking of a 7th Century world is progress and will create a Islamic Utopia here on earth! No free will. Only a bunch of power-hungry, hypocritical Imams and Caliphs getting rich and fat off the sweat of the low-lifes by telling them what they can and cannot do according to their interpretation!
Our American founding fathers were correct in making sure that no single state religion held sway over any other. Separation of church and state is a good thing if not carried to the extreme. Religious interpretation is far more fallible than what goes on in a US courtroom, IMHO.
The more I learn, the more I am realizing that extreme Islam appears to be a religion that is enforced through fear, violence and enslavement. There is very little love, forgiveness and above all little choice if one wants to live and think freely. Sounds like totalitarianism to me.
Exactly. Aside from the very few intelligent, honest Muslims that are brave enough to point out the truth, I have a hard time believing much of what has been presented by other so-called Islamic scholars and spokespersons that appear on TV or write in the news media about the "religion of peace." The majority of them excuse or justify terrorism, (especially against Israel) blame America and the West for its "policies" (all the while manipulating and taking advantage of Western freedoms to further their own freedom-hating causes) and glorify the death/murders of suicide/homicide bombers in their hometowns, thinking that the Westerners are too stupid to catch them in their two-faced acts. Too many obnoxious, arrogant Muslim spokespersons refuse to answer hard questions about the beliefs and ultimate aims of Islam. They have been caught in many half-truths, deceptions and lies by astute questioners. They may get indignant and angry when confronted by the truth, but they never appear to be embarrassed when caught in an outright LIE. Why should they? Their own religion exhorts them to DECEIVE the infidels (whom they refer to as living in the House of War) until they can subdue or destroy them in the name of their god. Scarey stuff.
The koran is very complex. There are verses that are complete opposites. In Sura 2:106 (and some others verses too) it is said that although allah knows best, he can replace verses with newer, better ones.
In the beginning (refered to as Mecca period), mohammed tried to convince the Jews and Christians allah was their god. He did that by praising the 'People of the book' (the Bible). But he was rejected and when he went to Medina the koran changed. Most changes were very convinient, even his wife Aisha (his child-wife) told him that.
One time he had a quarrel with a Jewish tribe, and suddenly the Archangel Gabriel came to him and told mohammed to go to war with them and slay them all (but spare the woman and children).
The verses of the Medina period are thus more important than the Meccan ones.
So war and oppression replaced tolerance.
That is the great koran trick: you show the non-believers the nice verses, and the muslims the other ones (check sura 9.1 to 9.5 and 9.28 to 9.30).
The apologist can tell us everything, because people don't know much about the koran. I am Dutch, and the Netherlands are plagued by muslims from Morocco for a long time. So I wanted to know about islam. And since 9/11 people want to listen to people like me.
Islam can be peaceful, but the muslims do what we Christians did: stop our fellow Christians from harming people.
Fatwa on Events Following 11 September 2001 (MUST READ!)
Ask the imam: Why can t the Jews and Muslims live together in peace?
A view on Jews and Israel from Khilafah.com
AN EVENING IN FRONT OF THE TV: JIHAD (ISLAM CALL FOR JIHAD MUST READ)
Arabic Press and the Jews: Antisemitism Worldwide 2000/1
Is Peace With Israel Possible?: The Islamic Verdict
The Islamic Legitimacy of The "Martyrdom Operations"
Also look here: VIOLENCE IN THE KORAN AND THE BIBLE
In the replies I mention some interesting stuff.
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