The Square Root of Evil

Technorati tags: Religion, Conservatism, Islam, Malaysia

Walski’s very delayed post apology forenote: This post was started almost 2 weeks ago, when the topic was still piping hot. Although no longer boiling, the brew still has some simmer in it, and still worth a look see… and a gulp or three.

Pick up a dictionary, and you’ll find several meanings for the word evil – depending, of course, on which dictionary. One of the meanings you’ll find is: "causing harm"

At least according to Mirriam-Webster, among other dictionaries. The Oxford Dictionary lists the above as one of the possible meaning, as well. It is this pernicious context of evil that Walski has in mind, and not the supernatural context of the word.

Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock, lodged in a cave buried underneath a landslide, you’ll know that the news last week has all but been dominated by the harassment that former Perlis Mufti Dr. Mohamad Asri Zainal Abidin (better known as Dr. Maza) has been getting from the religious authorities and some NGOs. And for the purpose of this post, the evil that Walski refers to is in this context – the harmful way that these so-called Malaysian authorities of Islam have behaved. 

But before we go further, a quick recap of what’s transpired. For a more complete catchment of related articles, Minda Tajdid, Dr. Maza’s blog, has compiled links to related articles (in Bahasa Malaysia and English).

It all started with a memorandum from PGSM – the Syariah Lawyers Association of Malaysia (Persatuan PeGuam Syarie Malaysia) – to the Yang Di Pertuan Agong (Malaysia’s ceremonial King).

PGSM’s English acronym, quite coincidentally, spells SLAM. Coincidental, because slam Asri is exactly what PGSM did in that memorandum. 
(conservatism and the square root of evil, in the full post)

The PGSM memorandum was dated October 12, 2009, and for a short while was published on PGSM’s website, but taken down for reasons only known to the association. National language web news portal mStar Online picked up the memorandum and published it on their news site, and if you read BM, you can take a gander at it here.

PGSM, it seems wasn’t the least bit thrilled that Dr. Asri had been offered to head YADIM, a Malaysian federal government Islamic propagation agency. And in the process of voicing their protestations to the Agong, they made some pretty serious accusations, which, of course, were refuted by Dr. Asri in a press conference held on October 31st, 2009 – you can view it (via YouTube) in three parts, here, here, and here.

And not surprisingly, PGSM weren’t pleased with Dr. Asri coming out into the open refuting the claims and accusations made in the memorandum. They issued a press release the very next day.

Not long after the press conference, Dr. Asri was arrested by the Selangor State Religious Department (JAIS), assisted by the police no less (over 30 persons in total, just to arrest one ex-Mufti). But when he showed up at the courts the next day, as he’d been instructed to, confusion reigned as no one seemed to know what to charge the fella with.

In the end, though, it appears that Dr. Asri will now be charged with proselytizing without the necessary JAIS permits and credentials. An ex-Mufti, mind you. Walski wonders if all those wandering tabligh fellers you see wandering from mosque to mosque (even in Selagor) have the necessary credentials from the state religious agency.

Well, Walski could delve much deeper into the divide between SLAM PGSM, JAIS and Dr. Maza, but that would be pointless, since many have already done so by now. Instead, let’s look a little bit deeper, as to why such a thing could happen.

Now would probably be a good time to clue you in on what Walski means by Square Root of Evil in the post title. It has little to do wit mathematics, by the way, but has much to do with the word “Square”. No, not the 4-sided polygon meaning of the word, but the slang meaning of it: “regarded as dull, rigidly conventional, and out of touch with current trends” (via Urban Dictionary).

In other words, conservative.

Earlier, in this post, Walski had theorized about what he calls The Third Power Column – the collusion between various individuals within the political parties, government agencies, and NGOs. Their common currency? “Mainstream” Islamic Conservatism.

Their goal, ultimately, is to steer this country to becoming an Islamic state. Or, at least that’s what Walski thinks.

Not long after the Asri hoo-ha, a well-known conservative state Mufti came out in support of the action taken by JAIS (from Berita Harian, via Tok Wan). Which Mufti? Harussani Zakaria, that’s who. Arguably, he’s perhaps the most influential cleric in Malaysia, and quite conservative in outlook. Even better, this guy can say just about anything and get away with it (remember the Silibin incident?). Other Islamic bureaucracy related persons and organizations also came out in support of the action by JAIS.

The conservatism that Walski speaks about has certain key characteristics that he’s surmised through observation. Among them:

• That there is one, and only one TRUE interpretation vis-á-vis Islam – the mainstream conservative viewpoint. There’s also this prevalent view that “mainstream equals right/correct”, and any alternative minority opinions seen as bordering on heresy. This is partly exhibited by which books relating to Islam have been banned in Malaysia (apparently Harussani sits on the KDN’s Quranic Texts Department book review/censorship board).
• Support of strict regulation on who can or cannot speak about Islam. And there are numerous inconsistencies relating to this – it appears as though conservative groups are “tolerated” (Hizb ut-Tahrir, for example).
• The tendency to not want discussion done openly – this was exhibited quite clearly in how PGSM rebutted Dr. Maza’s rebuttal press conference. This aversion towards transparency gives the whole Third Power Column a sinister feel to it, rightly or wrongly perceived. Last Friday’s congregational prayer sermon (khutbah) at the Putrajaya mosque, authorized by Jakim, was clearly targeted at curtailing speech when it comes to discourse about Islam (see here for a transcription in Jawi)
• Islam is constantly under threat – this scare tagline is used to put blame on everything else except the failure of the Islamic bureaucracy itself. And it’s always other sinister elements out to do Islam in. Introspection is superficial, and it’s always someone else’s fault (this is a common trait of conservatives the world over).
• Obsessive protection of the predominantly conservative ulama (cleric) institution. No matter how skewed their opinions may be, these ulama are never in error. The more conservative the opinion the better, it seems.

This list is by no means exhaustive, by the way, but represent some of the characteristics that Walski has observed. The evil (read: harm) here is not only pervasive within the various government and non-government agencies, but also within the political parties themselves. So, on the one hand you have official government policy wanting to be more progressive and open, and on the other, almost in the same breath, forces within the government itself ensure that openness and progressivity grinds to a halt.

Remember the Executive Cabinet’s move to try to put a stop to child conversions some months back, how the council of Rulers had an unscheduled meeting soon after, and essentially put a stop to the Government’s idea?

Who called for the meeting? Hint: it wasn’t the Prime Minister, the one usually calling for unscheduled meetings by convention (or so Walski’s been told).

And that’s exactly how powerful the Third Power Column is – without mandate from the electorate, they can, have, and in the future, will, influence public policy.

Still think that the religious conservatives are a benign lot, who albeit loud, don’t have any real influence? Think again.

Sadly, Malaysian society today is ripe for the picking – Malay/Muslims grow up conditioned to NOT ever question authority, especially religious authority, coupled with a steadily declining education standard, and the ability to think critically. No matter what discipline one practices professionally, logic simply goes out the window when it comes to religious matters. Logic and reason are, in fact, shunned, claiming that religious matters transcend logic.

Another popular argument against opining about religion in the open: the doctor/mechanic analogy – the one where you wouldn’t go to just any Tom, Dick, or Harun to consult about medical matters. What this argument ignores is the fact that in the current situation, one is not allowed to seek a second opinion either. And the truth is that there are many opinions and viewpoints within the fold of Islam.

Well, today will see an acid test, of sorts, as to how pervasive the influence of the Third Power Column is – because later this morning, Dr. Asri will (finally) be charged in the Gombak Syariah Court. And for what? Enactments aside, the real reason is that Dr. Maza presents a problem to the conservatives.

The real purpose of charging him is to attempt to silence him, and the learned criticisms he makes about the conservative ulama class, and those who blindly support them.

Today will see whether rationality can overcome the influence of the real SQUARE root of evil…

Click here for the full post......

Jom Skate!

Technorati tags: Wheel Love, Store Opening, Skateboards, Inline Skates, All Skate No Hate

Fortunately, the past couple of weeks hasn’t entirely been doom and gloom. Naah… that would just cave in to the morons who want to ruin this great nation of ours.

Being an eclectic person means that Walski has several diverse circle of friends. And one of those circles – skater kids. In particular, a couple of young Malaysian skaters who’ve taken it a notch further, and have opened up their own skate shop in Subang Jaya.

The shop’s called Wheel Love, and it’s located at 28 Jalan SS15/4 in Subang Jaya (entrance is via the alleyway).

The store had it’s soft-opening on Saturday, October 24th, which Walski and the Mrs attended, lending our moral support to what we felt was a great thing for our friend Wei Yeng, one of the owners. The co-owner of this venture, incidentally is Su Keats, whom we met through Yeng.

Walski’s been told that apparently there is this rivalry between various types of wheel-based sports, even between in-line and board skaters. Dunno… Walski’s no skater, so he’ll take that at face value. So in that sense, Wheel Love, as a concept, means that as long as you’re on wheels, you’ll be loved – in-lines, boards, or even bikes. Or something along those lines.

Hence the phrase “All Skate, No Hate” that the Wheel Love boys love to use…

Rumor has it that this thingy lights up when it's dark...

But back to the shop opening… Walski, and his better half, got there at about noon, not long after the “auspicious” opening time of 11am that morning. Yeng, SuKeats and the crew were busy with final touches on the store interior.

Walski can say this much – he’s impressed and sees great things afoot with this store! 
(more about the skate shop, and more soft-opening pictures, in the full post)

Wheel Love, incidentally, has been in business online for quite a while now. But it’s only now that Yeng & SuKeats have managed to take their business to the realm of the physical. Check out the Wheel Love online store and blog if you get a chance. And if you’re on Facebook, you can also be part of the Wheel Love Skateshop fan club.

A wide range of nifty and cool board designs await you...

In addition to skateboards, inlines, and their respective accessories, Wheel Love also carries a nice collection of fashion accessories and apparel – neat tees and shoes, including their own range of Wheel Love tee-shirt products.

A wide range of über-cool tees...

... plus Wheel Love's very own tee-shirt range

In addition to skate-related merchandise and cool apparel, Wheel Love is also a sales outlet for the Kendama gizmo, a deceivingly simple-looking ball and cup toy, which to play requires a lot more skill than meets the eye.

Consisting of a ball and hammer-like cup, with a strand of string attaching the two, you play the thingy by trying to land the ball onto the cup’s surface. Sounds simple enough, but it’s pretty darned difficult to do.

Essentially, the Wheel Love boys offer the gizmo in collaboration with Kendama MY, Malaysia’s very own Kendama community.

Admittedly, Walski didn’t try it for himself, but having had a look at SuKeats semi-struggling with it, Walski thought… hmmm, maybe next time. But intriguing the thing looks, for sure.

What really impressed Walski about Wheel Love is the cozy environment the guys have created, making it not just a great place to get your skate gear, but a neat spot to escape the hustle ‘n bustle of busy Section 15 to chill for a bit.

A cosy cool interior to chill for a bit...

The soft-opening was also reported at Wheel Love’s own blog posting, and has been covered by Juice (Online). Hopefully this posting will keep up the promo momentum for the guys – they really do deserve it, what with the effort they’ve put in to carve their own little niche in the ever-shrinking space of cool we have here in Malaysia.

Walski’s not sure when the official opening of Wheel Love will be, but rest assured that if he’s around town, he’ll be there for sure. And that you’ll hear about it, too. In the meantime, if you’re ever in the Section 15 area of Subang Jaya, and got some time to kill, pay Wheel Love a visit, won’t ya?

And don’t forget to tell ‘em Walski said Hi…

Walski’s promo disclaimer footnote: Just in case you’re wondering, Walski’s not getting an iota of anything by doing this post. It’s so that he gets to spread the All Skate, No Hate love... nothing more, but certainly nothing less than that!

Click here for the full post......

Mental housekeeping in a brewing Perfect Storm

Technorati tags: Islamism, Malaysia, Politics, Oppression, Depression

Yes, Walki’s bad... he’s been away from this blog for way too long. Worse, without a word of why. So as to not sound like a broken record, he won’t say why, only “Sorry”. But if you must know, it’s pretty much the same reason that he’s mentioned more than once or thrice before.

On top of that is a creeping feeling of depression about the immediate future of this country, and the feeling of helplessness in not being able to do more to make it a better place for everyone. This post, hopefully, will bring Walski back into the mood of blogging and to get the posts out with more regularity. The source of this feeling that’s overcome Walski, therefore, becomes the central theme of this long-overdue post.

But first things first – a very terribly inexcusably belated Happy Diwali (or Deepavali) to one and all, in particular Walski’s Hindu friends and myAsylum readers. Light pwns Dark, good over evil, and all that jazz…

Gee, that was what… two weekends ago? And it’s been around that long since the last post. So yeah, a very belated greeting to the bloggerhood.

You see, apart from work (yup, same excuse reason) and the associated travelling, the mood to blog has somewhat diminished – not because there’s nothing to blog about, per se, but because of the crap that’s been happening in the past half a year. Be it politics, socio-pathalogic nutcase shenanigans of the religious right, the economy, etc. There’s just too much crap that’s been happening, and it’s mostly pretty depressing stuff.

And then there’s Twitter – this blogger’s new writer’s block escape hatch. Hence, the Twitter window on the sidebar. Just so that you know Walski’s still alive somewhere. 140 characters at a time.

So, exactly what else has been happening over the last few weeks, while Walski’s mind was wandering the four-to-the-power-of-n corners of space-time?

In this dimension alone, lots. Even in the small section of our space-time continuum called Malaysia. For starters, the continued cramping of our lifestyle by the religious fruitcake mix that for some reason today inundates Malaysia. 
(khalwat by committee, bouncing Beyoncé off the menu, and more, in the full post)

Walsk doesn’t intend to list out every single thing that’s happened in the last couple of weeks. That would be so… well, last couple of weeks. Instead, he’ll merely rant about some of the highlights, or low-lights as the case may be.

One real big low-light was this snippet of news, reported by The Malay Mail, on Monday, October 19th – about the home invasion by the resident’s association at one of the condos at Prima Damansara’s, just outside KL.

More than two, but it's still khalwat
Vice raid by 'officers' from residents' association allegedly leaves man with black eye

IF you think that you can’t be nabbed for khalwat (close proximity) just because you are found together with more than one other member of the opposite sex, think again.

Aqmal (not his real name) and four of his friends found this out the hard way when their durian-eating session at their condominium unit in Block F of Indah Condominium at Prima Damansara came to a halt when several men from the local residents’ association came knocking on their door.

He claimed that the men were not only aggressive and thuggish, but also hurled insults at him and his friends.

To compound his misery, two of the men also punched him three times, leaving him with a black eye.

But the worse part for Aqmal is not about whether he was beaten or not; it was that the men who knocked on his friends’ home did not even identify themselves.

“I had just sat down to watch a DVD while my friends (three female and a male) were preparing food, others were in their rooms and one was on the computer when there were loud knocks and rattling of the grilles,” said Aqmal.

When his female friend opened the door, the shouting men, numbering about eight to 10, barged in and demanded their identification.

“They were without tags or any identification and they wrote on exercise books; one even called my friend a prostitute for inviting over male friends,” said Aqmal, who said he followed their directions without complaint.

But when they were bringing him and his three friends (two males and a female, as the other female was apparently a Christian), out the door, one of them told Aqmal he acted like an American — to which he replied: Lebih kurang lah (maybe).
(source: The Malay Mail)

But think about it though – it’s very fortunate that the occupants of the condominium unit didn’t panic and start jumping out of windows, as sometimes happens in these types of moral police raids. Funny, but Walski doesn’t recall any instance when there have been serious injuries, or death, as a result of these raids, that the people conducting the raids have ever been charged with anything. Much less for causing bodily hurt, or culpable homicide.

What a wonderful climate for attracting more direct foreign investment, eh? Ok, from Saudi Arabia, maybe.

What’s also interesting is that the Selangor State religious department (JAIS) came out with a statement (also in the Malay Mail), that the raid was not authorized. Which is not at all what the resident’s association claimed. Who’s right? Who’s wrong?

Who cares?

Speaking of religious departments… isn’t it strange that Muslim NGOs have been sprouting up like mushrooms on dew-wet dung of late? And it seems like whenever there’s a new controversy or something contentious to do with Islam, you hear of a new NGO that appeared out of nowhere. Is the Malaysian Islamic bureaucracy actually encouraging their emergence?

And what about when you have a local NGO, belonging to a larger global movement that promotes things contrary to nationhood? The one Walski is talking about is, of course, Hizb ut-Tahrir. They have a local chapter, Hizbut Tahrir Malaysia, whose aim is to champion Malaysia becoming a theocratic Islamic state. Support from the Islamic bureaucracy Walski can understand. But support from the Malaysian government itself?

Anyone that’s tried applying for a KDN number will know that it’s not exactly a trivial matter. Similarly with setting up an NGO and getting it registered with ROS (Registrar Of Societies). So, what gives?

Hizbut Tahrir Malaysia somewhat came into the spotlight a couple of weeks ago when they organized a seminar entitled “Sisters In Islam – Pembela atau Perosak Wanita?" (Sisters In Islam - Protectors or Corrupters of Women?"), held one week ago on Sunday, October 25th in Petaling Jaya. As it turns out the seminar was a rather tame affair. The HT Malaysia official report concluded, however, that SIS is a “grave danger to the Muslims” (last paragraph: ‘amat berbahaya kepada umat Islam’).

They see SIS, and any other organization or individual that dares raise criticisms as a danger to their dogmatic views, so their conclusion comes as no surprise whatsoever.

The same goes with many other Islam-centric NGOs that have sprouted – the champions of a rigid world view and dogma that they believe to be ‘true Islam’.

Now, Walski is in no way suggesting that voices such as these voices be banned. Far from it – they have every right to voice their opinions. What bothers Walski however is the double-standards surrounding who is given leeway (by the Islamic bureaucracy) and who isn’t. And what he asks for is a level playing field of discourse and debate.

And there lies the conundrum – on the one hand, the UMNO/BN led government is pursuing a more progressive, modern and competitive Malaysia. On the other hand, parts of the same government want to ensure that no healthy debate or alternative viewpoints are allowed when it comes to Islam, a faith that’s professed by a majority of the country’s citizenry.

Walski’s observation is that what we’re witnessing today is the beginning of a “perfect storm” – a nexus of seemingly unrelated events that will one day culminate in calamity. An education system that does next to nothing when it comes to creating a generation that can think critically for themselves, encroachment after encroachment of state-sponsored religious authorities into our personal lives and space, prohibition on any materials deemed contrary to populist and majoritaristic Islamic thought, a religious bureaucracy that is allowed to operate on the periphery or even outside the bounds civil law, insistence on the prohibition of debate when it comes to any religious matter regardless of how far-reaching its effects on the entire populace, attempts to change (again) the Federal Constitution that will take this nation one step closer to becoming an Islamic totalitarian state (via The People's Parliament)… the list goes on and on. 

Last week, Egyptian freelance journalist Mona Eltahawy wrote in her Washington Post column, highlighting that Malaysia is at a point in its history where the confused state of the nation, as seen from external eyeglasses, makes it necessary for the country to decide what kind of nation it wants to be. The same article was re-published by The Malaysian Insider last Thursday.

"The Malaysian government must acknowledge that interfering in people's private lives and sentences such as caning are the antithesis of a "moderate" Muslim state. Malaysia must make clear what kind of country it wants to be. Is it the nation of the splendid Kuala Lumpur skyline, blending the traditions of its mosques and temples with the modernity of the dazzling Petronas Towers? Or is it a judgmental, moralistic nation that obsesses over the private lives of its citizens?"
(source: The Washington Post)

Unfortunately, it would be a lot simpler if it were merely up to the government. There are also numerous extra-governmental forces at work – a 3rd quasi-political column operating in the shadowy periphery. While Mona Eltahawy asks the right questions, she mat not be asking them to the right people. Not entirely, anyway.

Quo vadis, Malaysia?

In Walski’s eyes the next few years do not look at all promising. The momentum of those wanting to make Malaysia into something else gets stronger with each passing day. All he can do is to point out the danger, in hopes that the warning doesn’t fall onto deaf ears. It’s quite depressing actually. Worse still when he knows that there are those who actually look forward to Malaysia sliding deeper and deeper into religion-fueled decay, seeing it as an almost demented fruition of God’s promise of greatness.

Just remember that the Iranian Revolution brought great promise of an era free from oppression, only to be replaced by another kind of oppression.

Be careful what you ask for – it may just come true. In spades.

Click here for the full post......

Princesses Irrelevant of the Talibunnies

Technorati tags: Humor, Politics, Puteri UMNO, UMNO General Assembly

Once again, the circus we fondly call the UMNO General Assembly is in town. In one of the rings, we have Puteri UMNO – the junior women’s wing of the party, created (at the same time as their equally irrelevant male counterparts, the Putera wing) so that the younger members can be tricked into feeling some sort of faux relevance in that party.

Okay, you might be thinking that Walski’s being unduly harsh. But if that’s the case, how do you account for this madness?

With so many more serious problems plaguing the nation, this is the nonsense that they come up with?

It’s bad enough that PAS Youth wants to ban everything – these Talibunnies seem to wanna do as much damage. Or more, if possible. 
(vicious bunnies, and more, in the full post)

Now, a Facebook acquaintance, commenting on PU’s statement said: “Next they will be banning fantasy, horror and Sci Fi books, then all films, TV show and all books - hello Taliban”.

To which, Walski said that under the circumstances the term Talibunnies would probably be more appropriate. Said acquaintance then retorted: “Talibunnies I think is too tame a term, too nice and furry, cuddly. These are viscous mutilators of culture and the arts, hence my term talibanistic”.

Walski then reminded his acquaintnace of this viciously furry, cuddle-deadly classic film scene:

So yeah, Walski will stick to Talibunnies, thank you very much. Their deadly venomous true demeanor is elegantly masked by their demure and irrelevant facade. PU indeed…

But demand by Princesses Irrelevant, if taken seriously, does have far-reaching and damaging ramifications, as pointed out by Mariam Mokhtar, via The Malaysian Insider.

Movies today, books tomorrow… sooner or later, even intelligence might be made a crime against the state, if these wannabe Taliban and Talibunnies have their way.

Truth be told, Walski does see behind the political charade, that what PU is trying to do is play one-up-womenship with PAS Youth – the “if they can insist on banning stuff, so can we” juvenile mindset at play.

Which is exactly why these princesses will remain in the Irrelevant bin of UMNO. But don’t tell Puteri UMNO that… otherwise another tear-fest will probably erupt (via NST).

Speaking of being irrelevant – both Khairy Jamaluddin’s (UMNO Youth Chief) and Najib’s speeches spoke of the need for UMNO to be more inclusive of “others”. Oh, and that the benefits of the NEP shouldn’t only be enjoyed by the Malays. Oh, oh… and that UMNO is not racist (snicker) [links via The Edge and The Star, respectively].

If that’s the case, then what the hell is the point of race-based politics anymore, Walski wonders… other than being a playground for irrelevant Talibunny princesses, that is.

Click here for the full post......

The Legion of Silencers: Fervent Enablers of 1Apartheid

Technorati tags: 1Apartheid, Failed State, Justice, Tyranny, Malaysia

Call this a rant, if you must. Provocative post ahead? Walski certainly hopes so.

There is a prevailing school of thought that the more harsh and repressive society is, the more “Islamic” in character it becomes. This school of thought sees civil liberties as destructive “Western” precepts that must be curtailed. One of these civil liberties happens to be freedom of thought – ok for the proponents to practice, but not ok when these thoughts run contrary to their set of beliefs and aspirations.

Without further beating around the bush, this post refers to the loose grouping of Muslim NGOs in Malaysia. Their numbers are many, and Walski won’t bother listing each and every one – but this legion of NGOs comes under an umbrella coalition, which calls themselves PEMBELA (or ‘protector’ in English).

Their latest endeavor, as has been reported by both the mainstream and non-mainstream news media, is to silence any dissent against the Pahang State Syariah Court decision on the corporal punishment to be meted out against one Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, for the offence of consuming beer.

We won’t go on a tangent to discuss the merits (or otherwise) of the decision, nor of the Joint Action Group (JAG) for Gender Equality’s grounds for protesting. What Walski wants to highlight here is the efforts of this Legion of Silencers to curtail relevant criticisms of concerned persons.

For them, criticism is tantamount to insult – a convenient untruth for those unable and unwilling to engage in intelligent discourse, resorting instead to threats and legal recourse, so as to silence any dissenting voices. 
(selective justice is no justice at all, and more, in the full post)

Last week, Utusan Malaysia, the nation’s leading brain-dead Malay language daily, published a series of letters and articles condemning JAG and SIS. As is typical, instead of wanting to engage in intelligent dialog, the go-to is always censure. And wanting to invoke the Sedition Act against JAG. In particular, to SIS. Even the pseudonymous Awang Selamat put in his two bits – in English – grammatical errors and all.

The effort to request the government to repeal the Syariah Criminal Law enforced in the country with each State has its own set of enactments, is beyond the expectation of many. It is a regression. What more, such call was made by NGOs with Islamic tag.

As organizations which operate in the name of Islam, what is expected by Muslims is the struggle to strengthen the implementation of the law in the country.

Awang feels that it is unbecoming of any attempt to question the syariah law which is well-received by Muslims, who formed the majority of the population in the country.

Infact, even in the case of penalty by canning of Kartika, there is no argument about it since she herself accepts the punishment with full remorse and never once questioned it.

Whatever it is, the authorities should respond to the case of calling the government to rescind the law, with firmness and priority.

Awang feels that it should be handled with tact as it involved so many parties including the sovereignty of the law and Malaysia’s position as an Islamic country.

Awang—feeling disturbed
(source: Utusan Malaysia - October 6, 2009)

But Walski agrees – Awang is indeed a disturbed individual. Or individual by committee, as is the case, in all likelihood. Furthermore, his editorial represents how shallow the Malay-language medium sees the issue. And when confronted with an issue with serious ramifications, the shallow-minded can only respond in one manner – not articulate the issues involved, but invoke retribution of the law.

The latest to join the fray is ABIM – the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia. These jokers filed 11 police reports against JAG, as reported by Malaysiakini. Their grievance – that the JAG memorandum “insults Islam”, “threatens the sovereignty of the sultans as heads of the Islamic religion”, and “insults the status of the syariah courts”.

And the memorandum that these Silencers are so adamantly insulted by? You can read it in its entirety here (via the Women’s Aid Organization (WAO) website), but Walski thinks that it is important enough to duplicate the memorandum here, in its entirety.

JUSTICE FOR KARTIKA

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) appeals to YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak to take immediate steps to address the issue of the sentence of whipping meted out to Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno.

JAG also urges the government to review whipping as a form of punishment as it violates international human rights principles which regard whipping and other forms of corporal punishment as cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Moreover, research has shown that whipping is not an effective deterrent, even to violent or sexual crimes.

The court’s decision to whip Kartika for consuming alcohol has led to a public outcry at the national and international levels, damaging Malaysia’s reputation as a moderate Muslim country. It also fuels the widespread belief that Islam is a religion that discriminates against women. While civil law in Malaysia prohibits the caning of women, syariah law makes no such exception.

JAG believes there are compelling reasons why Kartika’s case should be reviewed - on syariah, constitutional and legal grounds, international human rights principles, and based on sentencing guidelines. They include:

Syariah Grounds
(i) Qr’anic teachings emphasise repentance, forgiveness and personal transformation. Even the verses on punishment for theft (Surah Al-Maai’dah 5:38-39) and robbery (5:33-34), emphasise that an offender who repents after his crime and amends his conduct, is redeemed, as God is forgiving and merciful.

(ii) Kartika has repeatedly expressed remorse and repented for her action. She should be forgiven, instead of be given the maximum punishment.

(iii) There is no consensus in Malaysia on the range of crimes for which whipping is prescribed,. Only Pahang, Perlis and Kelantan provide whipping for alcohol consumption under their Syariah Criminal Offences Codes.


Sentencing Guidelines
(iv) Under normal sentencing guidelines, Kartika should not have been given the maximum punishment as she had pleaded guilty, was a first time offender and has shown and continues to show remorse.

(v) The whipping sentence is also disproportionate to the gravity of the offence committed, especially since there was no violence involved in the commission of the offence.

(vi) When an accused pleads guilty, it is a mitigating factor. Therefore, the judge should have taken that into consideration in favour of the accused, and should not have meted out the maximum sentences in terms of the fine imposed and number of strokes for whipping.


Constitutional and Legal issues
(vii) Can the Kajang prison which is established under Federal law execute an order issued by the syariah court which is under state jurisdiction?

(viii) Can a Federal authority execute a sentence of whipping against a Muslim woman when the Prison Regulations 2000 forbids corporal punishment to be applied to a female prisoner (of any age), or a male prisoner who is more than 50-years-old?

(ix) Can the Pahang Syariah Court simply impose an additional sentence of imprisonment for seven days after the trial had ended and the case deemed closed, just for the punishment of whipping to be carried out?

(x) The victimisation of Kartika violates constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination under Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution. Under federal law, a woman cannot be whipped, but under syariah, she can. Daily, thousands of Muslims violate the syariah law which forbids alcohol consumption. And yet, Kartika is victimised with the maximum punishment to set an example to others.

(xi) Is it the duty of the state – in order to bring about a moral society – to turn all “sins” into “crimes against the state”? Or should this be private morality best left to the religious conscience of the individual, rather than be deemed public morality and turned into a matter of law? As practice shows, the enforcement of such moral policing laws has often led to controversies, abuses and public outcry. In the end the Federal Government intervenes and those arrested are released.


International Obligations
(xii) As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) since 1995, Malaysia is committed to uphold respect and equality for women. This commitment is complimented by Malaysia’s obligations under the Universal Periodic Review whereby Malaysia’s delegation had during the UPR process in February 2009 reaffirmed Malaysia’s “respect for human rights long established given the country’s character as a melting pot of various cultures, religions and ethnicities”.

(xiii) Malaysia is also committed to the 1988 ASEAN Declaration on the Advancement of Women, the 2004 ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the 2005 Putrajaya Declaration and Programme of Action on the Advancement of Women in Member Countries of the Non-Aligned Movement.

In the long term, we urge the Government to conduct a comprehensive review of the Syariah Criminal Offences laws of this country, with a view to repeal such laws, thus enabling all Malaysians to be governed by a single Penal Code under federal administration.

In 2005, Sisters in Islam , a member of JAG submitted a memorandum to the Government to reiterate its call for the Syariah Criminal Offences laws to be repealed on the grounds that they have no basis in Islamic legal theory and practice; they conflict with the Federal Constitution and that they conflict or overlap with the Penal Code and other federal laws. SIS had commissioned two reviews by Professor Muhammad Hashim Kamali and Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi and these have been shared with the Government.

The Government must show the political will and courage to once and for all deal with the implications of such intrusive moral policing laws. The implementation of these laws continues to raise numerous profound and controversial issues at the Islamic, constitutional, and human rights levels. They also fail to reflect the changing realities of Malaysian life today. The continual public outrage over moral policing laws reflects the disconnect between state control of private lives and personal choices, and how Malaysians view their entitlements to these rights. This can no longer remain unresolved.
(source: WAO Website)

Now, how on earth can this be construed to be an insult to Islam, a threat to the Sultans’ sovereignty, or even the status of the Syariah courts? If there is a misapplication of law, isn’t that grounds for critique, regardless of which system of law?

Furthermore, why pinpoint action on JAG, WAO and SIS, when other notable persons have spoken out against the issue of whipping Kartika? Is it misogyny, and the prevailing opinion that in “Islam” (as these Silencers understand), women should not be vocal and speak out when there is a perceived injustice?

Walski highlighted the name Muhammad Hashim Kamali in the JAG memorandum for a reason. On September 1, 2009 this renowned authority on syariah law wrote an article for the NST (downloadable in PDF from here). In the article, the professor raises the possibility that the Pahang Syariah Court’s decision to mete out the maximum punishment may be a miscarriage of justice. He even argues that the “crime” of consuming alcohol may not be a “hadd” offence.

And yet, in the case of Kartika, the judge chose to sentence the lady to the maximum allowable by law. For a first offence that Kartika herself had admitted to and shown remorse. Is this the kind of justice that the Silencers want? And because there is no such thing as case precedence in syariah law, the very same overzealousness could be applied by a different judge in the future.

Now, why isn’t anyone going for the professor’s jugular, like they are against JAG, WAO or SIS? Isn’t pointing out that there are flaws in the system, that many see as God’s perfect justice on Planet Malaysia, equally an insult to their sensitivities?

Walski will tell you the reason – selective persecution, that’s why. And guess who’s being persecuted in this case – women organizations. Convenient targets for the intellectually challenged, vocal bigots who cannot see beyond their own jaundiced world view and prejudice.

The frenzy and zealousness of the Silencers does indicate one thing that is indeed disturbing – that what they want for this country is an Apartheid – one set of laws specifically for Muslims – that NOBODY can challenge – and one set of laws for everyone else.

The sad truth is that Malaysia is on a steady path to becoming a failed state – mark Walski’s words. It’s no longer a question of “if”, but of “when”. All the volatile ingredients are there, and how the ingredients have been converging is indeed scary.

Amendments to Article 121 of the Federal Constitution back in the 1980’s, the unwillingness of the civil court system to even touch on any matter deemed to concern Islam, the increasingly vociferous Syariah law fraternity in response to any criticism, aided by their leadership of  the legion of “Muslim” NGOs, the declaration (for political reasons) by the UMNO/BN led government that Malaysia is already an Islamic state, the various political quarters riding on the agenda of insisting that Malaysia become much more an Islamic state than it already supposedly is, the continued and increasing back-door incursion of so-called “Islamic” laws and norms into our personal lives (and not being given the choice nor opportunity to protest), collusion of law enforcement in matters religious, the carte blanche given to the Islamic agencies and bureaucracies to act as they please, the blatant scare-mongering by certain prominent members of the “Islamic” clergy class, the increasingly vocal censure of ordinary citizens in voicing their concerns, the absence of a government with enough backbone to do anything about the subtle slide towards tyranny…. these are just some of the ingredients that Walski speaks of.

All these sometimes independent-appearing pieces of a bigger puzzle have been coming together over the past few decades, hiding in plain sight for all and sundry to see. And the bigger picture the pieces of the puzzle reveal as the convergence continues is not a rosy one.

The proponents of “more Islam” seem to want a more conservative society, where personal space can easily be intruded upon, where one no longer has the liberty to think for oneself without fear of offending “the state”. Where Morality Police roam with reckless abandon, ensuring that life for anyone labeled “Muslim” on their MyKad is lived within the narrow parameters of what their self-appointed moral guardian masters allow.

There will come a time when even expressing concern, and voicing differing and dissenting views about any matter deemed “Islamic” will be considered crimes against the state. We are starting to see the beginnings of it now, as evidenced by the calls of the Silencers, be they subtle in some cases, or blatantly in others. We saw it before with Article 11, and we are seeing it again now.

And the dumbest thing is that what Walski describes is nothing new – we’ve seen it before in many other nations. Iran, Sudan, Saudi Arabia… What boggles the mind is that despite living proof that a state governed with religion as the basis of policy (any religion) eventually becomes a tyrannical one, that is exactly what the Silencers dream of as their ideal.

Once again, mark Walski’s words – we are fast coming to a point of no return. 1Apartheid is a reality we might as well get used to, if we choose to remain in this once great nation. And thanks to the Silencers, that reality may come sooner than we can imagine.

May God have mercy upon us all…

Click here for the full post......

The Right To Read

Technorati tags: Books, Reading, The Right To Read, CIJ, SIS

Ever had a “Black Marker Experience”? That’s what Walski calls the disgust he feels when he thumbs through a magazine (usually) and finds that certain portions of it have been blacked-out using a black indelible-ink marker pen. A really crude method of censorship is what it boils down to.

But censorship, in any other less crude way, in this day and age, is really counterproductive. At best, you’ll end up with a whole load of people really pissed off at the government for being so condescending. The bottom line is, however, censorship doesn’t work.

Malaysia has been actively censoring books, films, and other media, for ages – almost as long as Walski can remember. These days, even the Internet is censored, by blocking (or attempting to) certain sites deemed undesirable. And don’t let them tell you otherwise – censorship of the Internet is being done, albeit not on the scale of what certain other countries do.

When it comes to books, censorship is accomplished by banning certain titles, which the powers that be deem to be “dangerous”. Especially when it comes to religion, and more specifically, Islam. The Quranic Text Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs is the party that decides what we mere-mortal Malaysians can or cannot read.

Curious about what books have been banned in Malaysia recently? Here’s a sampling, based on a database maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs:

• "The Trouble With Islam Today" by Irshad Manji
• "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" by Christopher Hitchens
• “55 Masalah Seksual Yang Anda Malu Tanya” by Rosaida Roslan
• “Serakah Anak-Anak Zombie” by Ron Sikana
• “Muslim Women and the Challenge of Islamic Extremism” by Norani Othman

Apart from Islam, books deemed sexual in nature or on the supernatural (particularly those written in the national language, Bahasa Malaysia) are also frequently banned. And to protect what, exactly?

Reading, as far as Walski is concerned, is a right. A fundamental right, in fact. And it’s entirely up to him, not some Malaysian government flunkie, to decide what he wants to, or doesn’t want to, read. One could argue that in this day and age, reading and open access to information, can be seen as a basic human right.

And it is partly upon this premise that Walski would like to draw your attention to an important event taking place at KL’s Central Market – The Right To Read Festival – happening today and tomorrow (October 10 & 11). 
(about the festival, and more, in the full post)

Jointly organized by Sisters In Islam (SIS) and the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ), the festival aims at promoting creativity and independent thought, through the celebration of freedom of expression and the right to information.

There are a whole list of activities scheduled for the two day event, for folks of all ages. This morning, for example, two children’s programs are ongoing at Central Market, even as this post goes live.

The Right to Read Festival will officially kick off this afternoon at 2pm, in Gallery 2 of the KL Central Market Annex (Gallery 2 is located on the 3rd floor), and will feature Wayang Buku, a performance by local actor director Fahmi Fadzil, and Walski’s friend in the arts, singer songwriter Azmyl Yunor. There’s also supposed to be a special mystery guest – you’ll just have to turn up to find out who, ‘cause Walski sure as heck doesn’t know.

You can get the full details of the 2-day event, either via the event pages at the CIJ or SIS websites.

Now, one can understand the involvement of CIJ in this. But what interest does Sisters In Islam have in the promotion of the fundamental right to read?

Now, it’s no big secret that part of the agenda behind book-banning in this country is to curtail any thoughts or ideas contrary to a conservative view of Islam. Alternative views are often shunned by the Malaysian Islamic bureaucracy (who play a very active role in book-banning).

As you may have noticed in the short listing of banned books above, one of the titles is by Dr. Norani Othman, who is a fellow at UKM’s Institute of Malaysian & International Studies (IKMAS). She also happens to be one of the founding members of SIS.

What’s strange about the banning of her book is that the ban was put into effect in 2008, 3 years after its publication in 2005 (via The Chronicle of Higher Education). SIS, in a press statement issued shortly after the announcement of the ban in August last year, had this to say (emphasis by myAsylum).

The issues raised in the banned book evolved around the lived experiences and realities of Muslim women around the world, the impact of fundamentalist Muslim movements on women's rights, the role of the state in managing the process of Islamisation, and the alternative strategies used by various women's movement in their attempts to build bridges when confronting global politics, growth of religious fundamentalism in modern day society. This book explored and discussed how women's groups, not only for Muslims but people from other faiths, can come together to identify the different areas of their lives, where network, cooperation, and solidarity can be strengthen and built upon as contemporary women stake their claims for their rights, justice and equality, principles that are pivotal in the Quran.

In pursuit of our commitment to open more spaces for intellectual debate and discourses, SIS had specially invited the editor of the book Professor Norani Othman to provide us all with an overview and analysis of the challenges facing us today. Here, we must also stress that the banning of the SIS book is not our first experience - it is our third book. “Fiqh Wanita: Pendangan Ulama Terhadap Wacana Agama dan Gender”, written by KH Husein Muhammad was banned in 2007. Another book which SIS helped to distribute “Qur'an and Women: Rereading the Sacred Text From A Woman's Perspective“ by Amina Wadud (Oxford University Press, New York), was banned in 2008.

Other similar books by esteemed authors, which could enrich the Islamic discourse on Islam were also banned, such as “What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam” by John L Esposito; “The Battle for God: Fundamentalism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam”, and “Muhamad: A Biography of the Prophet”, both by Karen Armstrong; “Women and Islam” by Fatima Mernissi; and many more.
(source: SIS Website)

So, what exactly are we being protected from by the banning of books – a wider world view than the religious establishment would like, perhaps?

Thinking about it, though, the mind of the ignorant is probably easier to control. And that, in Walski’s view, is the real agenda – control. He feels that controlling what we read, vis-à-vis religion, allows only for the officially “approved” religious worldview to be heard and read. Is it just Walski, or does this sound a little fascist?

In any case, The Right To Read Festival will officially kick off in about an hour’s time, and Walski hopes that you can spare some time to pay a visit and support this important event.

Important, because reading is a means of overcoming ignorance. And overcoming ignorance is one of the things that can really set you free.

Click here for the full post......

If you have problems reading this...

Technorati tags: Technology, IT, Broadband Quality, Internet

… this is probably why.

Yes, a new study by Oxford University, in collaboration with Cisco, has rated us a not-too-great #48 in terms of broadband quality, as reported by The Malaysian Insider today.

What the report does is officially documenting something Malaysian Internet users are already painfully aware of – that our broadband isn’t all that broad.

Walski urges you to take some time to look at the actual report, which can be viewed here (via the Oxford Said Business School website).

Malaysia’s relatively low ranking, among the countries included in the study, may be telling in itself. But it doesn’t tell the whole story – which, unfortunately, is sadder than simply the ranking.

While the emphasis area that we keep hearing from the government is penetration, i.e. the percentage of households with broadband access, the Broadband Quality isn’t simply about how many people have access to services.

There is, in fact a lot more to Broadband Quality – like data throughput and latency – something that many Internet users in Malaysia can tell you is definitely not up to snuff. 
(factors in the study, and more, in the full post)

The main focus of the study, from what Walski gathers, is how broadband services worldwide are coping with the applications being accessed today, and how future ready they are on the demands of the future.

And it is this area that Malaysia fares not very well, ranking in the region of “Below today’s application threshold”.

Compared to last year’s inaugural study, we have improved. However, the parameters governing the measurements have also changed, namely the threshold values determining adequacy for now, and for the future.

In essence, the report uses the following main broadband quality parameters (derived from the report, downloadable from here):

• Download throughput – the net bitrate of downstream data. This criterion is important for effective streaming of high quality video and sharing of large files (increasingly important in collaborative across the ‘Net endeavors)
• Upload throughput – the net bitrate of upstream data. This criterion plays an important part in sharing and uploading of image/video, and 2-way high quality video communications
• Latency – time taken for data packets to travel from source to destination. This criteria is important for real-time applications, such as Voice over IP (VoIP)
• Other criteria taken into consideration include network oversubscription, data packet loss, jitter (measure of latency variation over time), service continuity, etc.

In other words, the report looks at much more than just penetration. One factor that has been introduced into the 2009 report is the disparity of Broadband Quality Score (BQS) between urban and non-urban areas within a given country. This is one area where Malaysia scores rather low – meaning that there is not much of discernible difference of quality between urban and non-urban areas. Which is still not a good thing, because what it implies is that the quality is pretty low throughout.

Some apologists might view this report, particularly when it comes to Malaysia’s placing, as the West trying to undermine our country’s efforts in IT proliferation. If one were to actually read the report, however, it can easily be ascertained that this is definitely not the case. In fact, 4 out of the top 10 countries on the list are in Asia, with the top 3 being South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong (in order of ranking).

There is also an implicit link between broadband quality and the economic focus of a given country. If Malaysia wants to transition towards becoming a more high-value, technologically driven economy, the availability of a world-class communications infrastructure becomes an important factor. Apart, of course, from a world-class education system – another area where much is left to be desired.

The question on the minds of many Malaysians, Walski included is this: how is it that Malaysia has fared so badly despite the fact that the MSC (Multimedia Super Corridor), launched in 1986, was supposed to propel Malaysia prominently into the world of IT? 13 years later, we’re still talking about broadband penetration (currently at around 26% or thereabouts) as being the key benchmark, and not about other more important factors, such as quality of service.

Apart from a quantitative analysis, the report also provides some broad recommendations to countries in how improvements can be realized. Some of these recommendations include (emphasis by myAsylum):

• Set national broadband agenda with goals for availability, penetration and quality.
• Provide content and applications that are quality-aware to ensure a consistent customer experience
• Build a broadband business model based on quality as the key differentiator

Any Malaysian broadband user that has used similar services abroad will immediately realize that something is amiss with the level of quality provided within Malaysia. It is, in fact, glaringly obvious sometimes, as Walski has discovered. “Best Effort” is simply no longer good enough a promise that an increasingly globally-aware Malaysian population will put up with.

What he wonders, though, is if the right criteria are being looked at, as we strive for improvement. So far, it seems that penetration, and penetration alone, is the focus, implying that if our target is met (50% by 2010), we’ll still be playing catch-up in other, more critical areas.

Click here for the full post......

Political cramps

Technorati tags: Humor, Politics, PMS, Parti Makkal Sakti

Seriously – who needs real life, when politics can be stranger than fiction?

Najib finds new Indian allies, bypasses the MIC
by Baradan Kuppusamy

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — The invitation card is glossy, in gold colour and of superior quality, in keeping with the VIP who is guest of honour at the Oct 10 launch of the new kid on the block — the Parti Makkal Sakti Malaysia.

The VIP will be Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who appears to be signalling that he is not going to solely depend on Barisan Nasional (BN) stalwart parties like the MIC and MCA to reach out to the non-Malay communities.

He will launch the new Indian-based party formed by former leaders of Hindraf at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park in Serdang next month in a strategy which bears similarities to his father Tun Razak Hussein's move in the 1970s to welcome more political parties into the establishment fold.
(source: The Malaysian Insider)

Per capita, the Indian demographics seems to have their unfair share of political parties (supposedly) championing them – MIC, PPP… and now Parti Makkal Sakti – PMS.

Yes, by some stroke of divine comical providence, the fledgling political party will share its acronym with that once-a-month, dreadfully painful female affliction – which also affects males within spitting distance, incidentally.

Was Hindraf really such an unbearable pain, that BN had to embrace PMS instead?
(the pain, the pain, and more, in the full post)

As if the acronym weren’t bad enough, they’re going to launch the party at an Agro Exposition Park. Let’s just hope this doesn’t turn out to be just a load of political bull.

And more puns fully intended – is PMS going to one day cramp MIC’s style?

Yes, one can really go to town with this… and Walski intends to do just that. Even its full name can be a source of comedic faux pas – like, if Sakti was to be misspelled as Sakit.

Letting his imagination run even more wild – if Parti Makkal Sakti were to be modeled after its BN counterpart, UMNO (which, Walski thinks, will be the case), are we going to also see the emergence of Pemuda PMS, Putera/Puteri PMS, and… get this – Wanita PMS?

It does make Walski wonder, though. When can a Puteri PMS member graduate into Wanita PMS? It would be kinda pointless if it were after menopause, one would imagine.

Within BN, though, it’s bad enough that PPP is these days pretty much a Powerless Peoples’ Party. Walski wonders if MIC is also going to suffer a similar fate, once PMS rages through the coalition.

Or, is PMS going to be more a politically subdued entity? Like, hearing from them only about once a month or so? But when you do hear from them, you’ll probably be compelled to pay attention.

But actually, Walski is not a bit surprised that Najib has decided to support a 3rd Indian political front within the BN fold – assuming that PMS will be assimilated. Najib, like Walski, has probably had it up to here with the MIC theatrics and geriatrics. And PPP being PPP… well, a third front makes perfect sense.

And Najib probably likes the idea of PMS being part of the Malaysian political landscape [insert your own Rosmah joke here], even though it’s already acne-blemished as it is.

Seriously, though – the existence of a third Indian-ethnocentric political entity within the BN coalition is bound to raise all sorts of interesting symptoms… err, scenarios.

Like making BN experience even more bloating that it already suffers from – we’re talking about what, 13 member parties now? Add PMS, and it’ll be 14. Now, that’s a number that probably won’t be popular with the Chinese-based components.

It’s already almost a given that there will be severe irritability within MIC and PPP, once PMS takes root. Walski’s already mentioned the possibility of PMS cramping MIC’s style. Which then will lead to a whole lot of stress and headaches within the bosoms of BN. As if it doesn’t already have a butt-load of anxiety. 

Then again, this is politics we’re talking about – an area of life that’s very prone to mood swings.

Should the day come that BN has just about had enough of PMS, are we going to see the emergence of another new political Indian entity? Something like, say, the Malaysian Indian Democratic Oratorical League – or MIDOL, for short?

And if you do feel cramping in your abdominal area after reading this, let’s just hope that it’s not PMS…

Click here for the full post......

Cause & Effect?

Technorati tags: Humor, Music, Synchronicity, PAS Youth, Politically Partisan Royalty

This is just too funny.

If you believe there’s a higher power out there somewhere (call it what you may), you gotta to be thinking the same as Walski – maybe the Big Guy’s trying to tell us something.

Cause and Effect, perhaps?

Whatever it is, Walski thought that both happening on the same day was kinda hilarious. 
(even more causes and effects, in the full post)

Okay, so it’s probably not possible to use physics to prove that royalty being partisan causes lightning. Walski, at least, can’t. Then again, he’s not a physicist.

So, what happens when a successful F1 weekend is at risk, due to the novelty of a night race wearing off, and general ongoing F1 problems? Not sure what Malaysia would do (apart from wanting to spend billions of our own F1 team), but…

Yup, if it’s Singapore, organize a big name 3-day music festival.

Okay, granted that most of these acts are oh, so 20th century, and those that aren’t Walski isn’t particularly interested in… but big names are big names. And big names pull in big crowds from all over, not just Singapore. Not exactly something that Walski would fork out money for, but he knows of several people who would love the opportunity to catch as many big names at one music festival: ZZ Top, Simple Minds, No Doubt, Black Eyed Peas, Beyoncé…

Oh, and speaking of Beyoncé…

Wanna make PAS Youth pissed off? Easy - just tell ‘em you’re planning something fun, preferably something music-orientated. Just about any music for that matter (they’ll have a ready excuse).

Now, how’s that for Cause & Effect?

Click here for the full post......

A schism of isms

Technorati tags: Schism, Ism, Religion, Dogma, Malaysia

Going against the mainstream can be a challenging thing to do. And not always fun, either. But Walski being Walski, there are some occasions when he has to do exactly that.

Yesterday, The Star published an article written by Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad, director of the Center for Syariah, Law and Political Science, an academic sub-group within the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia, better known as IKIM.

Walski won’t duplicate the entire article, entitled “Human rightism” vs religion, but rather will pick out certain areas that he thinks are of interest to this discussion. The gist, however, is that what’s termed as “Human rightism” is not entirely congruous with Islam. Or, as Dr. Wan Azhar argues, any religion.

Once again, the tired argument that those who don’t have “sufficient” knowledge on religion, Islam in particular, should not voice any opinion or objections when it comes to matters deemed Islamic, becomes one of the key points raised. Even if these matters have an effect, direct or indirect, on one’s life.

Well, Walski for one believes that he has a right to critique anything that has an effect on his own life. And frankly, if Dr. Wan Azhar doesn’t like that, well, just too bad.

The first thing that the article does is to paint human rights as an ideological doctrine, and therefore an ism. Understandable, because from many an Islamist’s point of view, any ism may be seen as somewhat derogatory. With the exception, naturally, of Islamism (emphasis by myAsylum).

THE doctrine of human rights seems to have developed into an ism that has rapidly spread, and been embraced, defended and championed by an increasing number of people beyond ethnic and cultural boundaries worldwide.

This universal human rightism is also perceived by many as an ideology that prevails over national laws and even transcending religions.

For some reasons, conflicts are always portrayed to happen when the values of human rightism are brought against the teachings of Islam.
(source: The Star)

So, it would appear that the stage is set – values of human rights can be incongruous to the “teachings of Islam”. Or the conventionally mainstream view, anyway. 
(schisms of isms, and more, in the full post)

In a larger sense, the article is a commentary on the events and opinions surrounding the Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno case. But it does also try to reinforce certain mainstream and conventional views.

Such as the one that not everyone can comment on religion. Or, at least, not Islam. And that view is very apparent in the article.

Another argument goes to the effect that every Tom, Dick and Harry must be given a chance to speak about things even if he has no sufficient knowledge about or no knowledge at all.

It is as if we ask a layman having no knowledge and training in medicine to prescribe medication for a dying patient.

In religious matters, not everybody has the right to claim that he enjoys the freedom to give an opinion as he wishes without first gaining a certain degree of knowledge on the subject matter in dispute.

Religious matters must be left in the hands of qualified ulama to address, in as much as medical matters must be given to qualified doctors.

If one is ill-informed or totally in the dark about any religious precept, then one has to do some research, seek counsel from those who are competent, qualified and authoritative.
(source: The Star)

Very mainstream. Very conventional. So, no surprises whatsoever.

But once upon a time, it was conventional belief that headaches were the work of demons. And if it were not for the freedom for certain “heretical” individuals to question this belief, we’d still be subjected to exorcisms, rather than aspirin or paracetamol, for headache relief.

One bit written in the article, somewhere mid-way through the piece, caught Walski’s attention more than anything else, and is something that he would like to explore a bit more.

Let’s turn to the mockers of the case. Some remark that whipping for drinking intoxicating beverages is not there in the Quran. It’s true, but the sources of Islamic law is not confined to the Holy Book alone.
(source: The Star)

Consider the following verses from the Quran.

Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
(Surah 5, Verse 3)

Shall I seek for judge other than Allah? - when He it is Who hath sent unto you the Book, explained in detail. They know full well, to whom We have given the Book, that it hath been sent down from thy Lord in truth. Never be then of those who doubt. (Surah 6, Verse 114)

And We put coverings over their hearts (and minds) lest they should understand the Qur'an, and deafness into their ears: when thou dost commemorate thy Lord and Him alone in the Qur'an, they turn on their backs, fleeing (from the Truth). (Surah 17, Verse 46)

Far be it for Walski to contradict what Dr. Wan Azhar says – the bulk of “Islamic laws” are indeed not based on the Quran. In fact, according to Dr. Zaharuddin Abdul Rahman, a Syariah scholar, a vast majority of it isn’t (translation and emphasis by myAsylum).

Kiranya hadith Ahad tidak diterima dalam hukum. Ini bermakna hampir 95% sumber perundangan hukum Islam akan ditolak. Kerana semuanya bersumber dari hadith Ahad.

If “hadith Ahad” cannot be accepted in the area of jurisprudence. This would mean that almost 95% of Islamic law sources would be rejected. Because all of these are based on “hadith Ahad”.
(source: Zaharuddin.net)

“Hadith Ahad”, incidentally, is defined as hadith (sayings/narrations of Prophet Muhammad) whose narrators at every point in the chain of narration is few in number (3 or less, according to some definitions).

As far as Walski knows, the Quran is God’s final direct revelation to mankind. If that is the case, and if the Quran is detailed, and contains God’s perfected religion and favor for mankind, why is it that the sources of Islamic laws are not confined to the Quran alone? This is a question that Walski will not provide an answer for.

And yet, without a moment’s hesitation, most Muslims will immediately agree that the Syariah is God’s undisputable law on Earth. Despite the fact that there are many versions of the Syariah, which is a diverse as “Islam” is today.

It’s not Walski’s intention to debate on what constitutes “God’s law” and what doesn’t – he merely wants to put some perspective on some claims. And based on these added perspectives, to think a little bit beyond our dogmatic isms.

Walski realizes that it would be pointless to debate this at any great length, as centuries of disagreement can never be resolved in one blog post. In all likelihood, such disagreements will continue for a considerable time to come.

The point remains, however, that when we become absolutist on one position over the other, we create our own ism. That, in totality, then creates a schism between the various isms we create.

The path forward, therefore, is not through exclusivity, but through objectivity. And objectivity, in part, necessitates looking at all isms, from all angles, including those isms that some might claim exclusivity to.

Otherwise, all we’re left with will be schisms. Perpetually.

 

Click here for the full post......

LRTQ2: Eid, Drink and Be Merry

Technorati tags: Eid, Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Quran, Reading, Campaign

Yes, it's day 3 of Eid-ul-Fitr, and no, Walski's not forgotten. It's just that he's decided to stay under the radar for a bit. But why is a long story that he chooses not to talk about, so don't even ask.

That said…

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri
~ Eid Mubarrak ~

Which also means that the LRTQ2 campaign has come to an end. And so this post doubles up as a closing post for the campaign. Truth be told, on Walski’s part, he feels he could have done more.

Co-campaigner Marina M. had posted her closing bit for the campaign, touching on the concept of forgiveness, a theme that is abundantly spoken of in the Quran. It has become a tradition, of sorts, in these parts that one asks for forgiveness during Hari Raya. Wiping the slate clean, so to speak, of any misdeeds or screw ups we may have committed.

Walski won’t get all over-preachy on you in this post, but he does want to highlight one verse that touches on forgiveness (emphasis by myAsylum).

And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - Who forgiveth sins save Allah only? - and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did. (Surah 3, Verse 135)

The point is this: forgiveness, ultimately, is not unconditional. 
(conditioned by the conditioning conditions, and more, in the full post)

As human beings, we’re prone to screw ups – by no means are we perfect creatures. And by no means shouldn’t we forgive one another for honest mistakes or misdeeds.

What Walski questions, sometimes, is the sincerity. Being that asking for forgiveness has become a Hari Raya tradition, he wonders how sincere we are in asking for forgiveness sometimes. It’s as if we ask for forgiveness just because we’ve been conditioned to do so.

Is it really out of remorse, or just because it’s “the thing to do” this time of year? When politicians ask for forgiveness, does that mean they’re making a pledge to become better human beings, or simply better politicians?

It is, however, not for Walski to question anyone’s sincerity, by the way – he’s not a mind reader. Sometimes, we have to take things at face value, and not think the worst of people. That said, although Walski can easily forgive, he seldom forgets. Which brings to mind this little number, from one of the few pop acts that he actually likes.

Not to say he keeps score, or anything like that. It’s more of a “once bitten, twice shy” kinda thingy.

Well, we can only try to do our best, Walski supposes. If he has inadvertently offended you, do remember that it’s not personal – Walski may criticize ideas and actions, but he doesn’t think that people are inherently evil. Misguided, maybe, but not evil. And therefore, they have the capacity to change for the better.

So, this Hari Raya, Walski hopes that while you seek forgiveness, you enjoy yourself, tool. But don’t over do it – especially when it comes to food. Easier said than done, though – every home we visit, food becomes the central attraction, and Malaysia being Malaysia, the diversity of food is really tremendous.

Enjoy the company of friends and family, definitely… Eid, Drink and Be Merry… so to speak.

As for the LRTQ2 campaign, Walski hopes that whatever little he’s contributed has been beneficial. Circumstances have been that too much went on during the period to really be able to concentrate on doing a good job with the campaign.

Oh, one other seasonal reminder, before Walski forgets – if you have to travel, do be careful on the road. It’s the time of year when the highways get choked up (literally), and time to tap on your patience bank account. Yes, it’s easy to get pissed off when driving this time of year (or during any festivities), but just remember to not do anything rash, or emotional, while on the road. It’s better to be a little late, than to not reach your destination in one piece.

Okay, folks… time for Walski to get ready to do the 3rd day of Raya thing… more visiting and such. Take good care while you have your fun!

Click here for the full post......

Bovine Perspectives

Technorati tags: Humor, Cow, Malaysia, Current Events

One of Walski’s favorite home-grown websites has to be PopTV (pronounced Pop Tee Vee). It has a neat collection of ongoing programs, such as The Weekend Sessions, 20 Questions, and Bulletin Popek – a brilliant political and current events gossip program, presented by a hand-puppet (for some reason not updated since July).

But the program that Walski tries to catch without fail is The Fairly Current Show, hosted by Fahmi Fadzil. It also features Elaine Presley reading from “Unwelcome Words” by Amir Muhammad.

The latest installment, though, is special – Fahmi interviews a cow, named Jay Cee to get her perspective on current events. Seriously.

Is it just Walski, or did you find it moo-ving, too? 
(fair, balanced, and cross-species viewpoints, in the full post)

Truth be told, Walski’s more than impressed. Never realized that Fahmi spoke cow. In a totally psychic way, to boot. Not sure of Jay Cee’s religious affiliations, but you may be forgiven if the phrase “holy cow” came to your mind while watching the segment.

But why this effort by PopTV? Producer Mark Teh, in a Facebook message sent out via The Fairly Current Show’s own Facebook group page, explains.

Much has been written and debated about on the Shah Alam cow-head controversy. Members of the Section 19 and 23 communities, politicians, provocateurs, bloggers, the mainstream media, the online media, the international media, concerned Malaysians, ugly Malaysians, beautiful Malaysians – they've all had their say.

But one voice remains unheard. The most important voice.

This week, The Fairly Current Show brings you deep inside a community of cows, to understand the story from THEIR perspective, to hear the words, so to speak, directly from the cow's mouth. We interview Jay Cee, a female cow, on her lunch break for her thoughts on the controversy, as well as her take on vegetarianism, ecological sustainability and Malaysia Day.

Selamat Hari menJadi Malaysia, Selamat Hari Raya, and Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

It's an important reminder to us that when dealing with issues of the day, what’s crucial is to get views from all around, before you form your own opinion. And who says that the perspectives must come from the human species alone?

Well done, PopTV, for enabling a truly balanced view to be herd.

Yes, the typo was intentional. And that’s no bull.

Click here for the full post......

A forgotten birthday

Technorati tags: Thoughts, Malaysia Day, Hari Malaysia

There's a downside to being on the road so much - the scarcity of time and mood to update this blog. But Walski figured that he’d find a bit of time today, because it is an important day, after all.

Today is Malaysia Day – the day this nation became complete, with Sabah and Sarawak joining the peninsular states to create what is Malaysia today.

Sadly, though, it is a day that’s not observed as much as it should be.

Kinda like a forgotten birthday, if you think about it.

And anyone who’s had their birthday forgotten before will know how much that can hurt. 
(more Malaysia Day thoughts, in the full post)

Is Malaysia one nation united, 46 years after its inception? Yes, and no, all things considered.

Looking at recent events, one might be forgiven if they thought that we’re slowly coming apart at the seams, with race and creed being used as divisors with increasing frequency. Be it those who want more exclusivity when it comes to their own belief, or those who have scant respect for the beliefs of others, or the race nationalists who continue to emphasize that their rights and privileges alone must be promoted – it’s not the least bit heartening to be bombarded by these sentiments on an almost daily basis.

Arguably, these views are of a small minority of folks. Walski’s fear, however, is that these voices are getting louder with each passing day. His other fear is this – are these belligerent views growing in influence and prevalence?

It is great, therefore, to read narratives that go against the grain of these exclusivists. Like a letter by Ineza Roussille, which was published today in The Nut Graph.

I WAS one of those who visited the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Section 19, Shah Alam on 4 Sept. The visit, comprising a small group of about 30 Malaysians, was initiated as an act of solidarity with the Hindus on the receiving end of the now infamous cow-head protest a week earlier. We brought with us some flowers and kuih, and were very warmly welcomed by the temple committee members and other worshippers there.

We were invited to sit alongside the worshippers as the prayers commenced. Not long after, we began to discuss the issue of the temple relocation. They explained that the issue had been ongoing for almost 20 years, and were eager for some sort of resolution that would be practical for all the parties involved. It was evident that what should have been an easily resolved issue got blown out of proportion by certain parties, and became an unnecessary burden on the temple committee.

And yet, they were calm in explaining the harassment that they've had to endure for many months. For instance, being refused permission to repair the temple that gets flooded after every heavy downpour; having to get a police permit for special mass prayers during Hindu festivals; or having a zinc fence suddenly appear where their parking lot used to be so that devotees could not park their cars. It almost seemed like they have accepted such injustices, and one could not avoid feeling a deep sense of shame at this.

While I was aware that the temple committee were very appreciative of our visit, it did not feel as if it were an extraordinary gesture, or that it was surprising for Malaysians to go out of their way to support other Malaysians. It just felt biasa for different races to mingle, without question. This was the real Malaysia.

From our little visit alone, it was painfully obvious that the apparent "racial tension" that we're constantly reminded to be fearful of is nothing but a divisive tool to support our race-based politics. The defence by our very own home minister and other supporters of such a bigoted and violent act as the cow-head protest is clear evidence of this.

How shameful it is that the people who are supposed to govern and protect us could sit side by side with these protesters and condone such hateful behavior. Is it so hard for our politicians to simply acknowledge that these protesters do not represent Malaysians, regardless of race or religion? Doesn't it also benefit them to safeguard the interests of all Malaysians, rather than the bigoted few? Are these the people our children are supposed to look up to as role models?

But Malaysia is not fooled. It isn't hard to see right through such political games, and realise that it really isn't about one race or religion against another. You'd only have to walk the streets of this country to see temples, mosques and churches standing side by side without much fuss. You'd only have to speak to its citizens to see that many of us don't see each other as "pendatang". As the late great Bob Marley sang, "You can fool some people sometimes, but you can't fool all the people all the time."

As we celebrate Malaysia Day this 16 Sept, I hope we can all stand up and say that we do not judge our neighbour based on race or religion. That we accept and wholly embrace our differences and similarities. That we are all secure in our identities that we should not feel threatened by the "other". That we refuse to be divided along racial lines and be used in this way as a means of political gain. That we are all, simply, Malaysians.
(source: The Nut Graph)

It's these types of voices that Walski thinks represents the true spirit of Malaysia. So glad to know that the spirit lives. It would be better if Walski knew for a fact that this represents the feelings of all Malaysians. For now, he’s not certain.

But with many other positive things that need to be rediscovered, Walski would be more than glad to be proven wrong.

Happy Malaysia Day, folks…

Click here for the full post......

In Memoriam: 9/11

Technorati tags: In Memoriam, September 11, 2001, 9-11

Believe it or not, it's been 8 years. It’s a day that changed the world.

A Tribute in Lights over NYC
(originally from here, via The Malaysian Insider)

May the souls of those who died on that tragic day rest in peace.
(blah-blah-blah, in the full post)

All told, just over 3,000 people perished in the tragedy, either at the Twin Towers and Pentagon, or on the 4 ill-fated flights. A memorial site has been set up by CNN.com which, among other things, lists the casualties.

Theories abound about who really was behind the tragedy – theories which Walski has no intention to delve into here.

What’s important is that thousands of lives perished that day, and that is what this short remembrance is about.

Click here for the full post......

Poll: What should the Cow Head 12 be charged with?

Technorati tags: Law, Cow Head Protest, Sedition, Illegal Assembly, Penal Code, Opinion Poll

A quick post before Walski has to go attend to his work – which has taken him on the road... again.

As indicated in his earlier posting, there are some reservations about charging the Cow Head 12 under the Sedition Act (1948). Not just Walski’s but that of a few other people as well. 

Similarly with charging all the protesters with Illegal Assembly.

With such uncertainty in the air, a snap poll was the what Walski thought would be the best next-thing to do. And you can find the poll where it usually resides, at the sidebar of this blog.

Also as mentioned in the earlier post, there is another alternative – using the Penal Code – specifically, either section 298 or 298A. This is what was suggested in Charles Hector’s posting on the same issue yesterday.

The poll will be open until midnight, this coming Sunday, September 13, 2009.
(what Sections 298 & 298A say, and more, in the full post)

When Walski announced the poll via Twitter earlier, twitter-friend @MXVoon commented that many folks may not know about Sections 298 and 298A of the Penal Code. A very valid point, indeed – thanks, dude.

Charles Hector, in his posting, actually detailed out both sections of the code. Here’s an abbreviated version, based on what Charles had posted (go to his posting to read the full-blown deal).

298. Uttering words, etc. with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person.

Whoever, with deliberate- intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person, utter any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person, or makes ant gesture in the sight of that person, or places any object in the sight of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

298A. Causing etc, disharmony, disunity, or feelings or enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing, etc., the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.
(source: Charles Hector's blog)

So, there – now you know. And now you also know why Walski wonders about the choice of charges as announced by the AG on Monday (via The Malaysian Insider), when there are other applicable laws to charge the twelve with. It does lead to the feeling that taking the route announced will also be an affront to freedom of expression. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

In any case, as with the last few previous polls, you can embed it on your own Blogger-based blog, if you have one (click on the button below the poll). But even if you don’t, Walski would appreciate it if you could pass the word around a bit. Polls aren’t much fun if the participation level is low-ish.

What do you think? Is the AG’s choice the more appropriate one, or are the alternatives better?

Click here for the full post......