Muslims told to be wary of renewed personal attack on Anwar

As the UMNO-controlled media continue to accuse Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim of endorsing homosexuality and calling for repeal of laws against homosexual acts, Muslims have been reminded not to fall into UMNO's trap.

Chairman of PKR's bureau for religious understanding Ahmad Kasim , reiterating the party and Pakatan Rakyat's opposition to any attempt to legalise homosexuality, called on the public not to be influenced by media reports claiming that Anwar wanted to legalise homosexuality.

Earlier, the British Broadcasting Corporation, interviewing Anwar during his visit to the Indian city of Mumbai, had asked Anwar for his views on homosexuality, something which he had been frequently accused of by UMNO leaders to show that he did not fit to lead a Muslim country.

In his answer, Anwar stressed that Muslims and non-Muslims were committed to support the sanctity of marriage between man and woman in Malaysia.

"We do not promote homosexuality in the public sphere and domain," Anwar had told the BBC, while criticising archaic British-era laws being applied in Muslim Malaysia which borders on invasion of privacy.

Ahmad Kasim, who is also member of parliament for Kuala Kedah, said Anwar's statement showed that he was against archaic and un-Islamic laws being used to victimise political opponents and to justify slander.

He said renewed media attack on Anwar was driven by the latter's acquital of the sodomy charge on January 9, and had nothing to do with any struggle to champion Islam as had been claimed by pro-UMNO leaders.

'Ill informed religious scholars'

Meanwhile, in its statement to Harakahdaily, Muslim organisation Islamic Renaissance Front said the media's misinterpretation of Anwar's statement showed how a controversial issue could be exploited for political purposes.

"We see no endorsement of homosexual activity, or any demand for homosexuality to be rendered acceptable in Islam in DSAI’s comments.

"However throughout the years, we have never seen anybody being charged for sodomy in this country except for the law being an instrument of political persecution," it said, adding that those speaking out against Anwar by misrepresenting his statement were attempting to steer away public attention from the "real issue at hand, which is independence and integrity of Malaysia’s laws and judiciary".

"Justice for Malaysia requires our combined efforts and visions. It must emerge out of reasoned and informed discussions, not the cheap sensationalism of inane and desperate newspapers with corroboration from the ill-informed religious scholars," the group said.

-Harakahdaily