Becoming Jakim’s ‘No 1 enemy’

It is the thinking Malay women who seem to rankle Jakim, be it Maznah or the professional Muslim women promoting rights of women in Islam.

COMMENT

Malaysia has no shortage of ‘enemies’ out to sabotage the country’s peace and harmony. There is the forever racist Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, vicious fanatics who never tire of finding ways and means to hijack the nation’s serenity and Jakim who was unable to digest the truth that the word ‘Allah’s is not exclusive to Muslims.

Three years ago Jakim (Malaysian Islamic Development Department) organised a forum for 800 civil servants to discuss the controversy sparked by a High Court decision to allow non-Muslims to use the word Allah.

The court ruling had outraged Muslim activists and led to a spate of violence against places of worship in the country.

Racial unity in Malaysia is teetering daily on the edge of issues concerning race and faith. And the situation will remain so as long as the culrpits come under the patronage of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Umno.

That being so, when a compassionate 38-year-old dog trainer Maznah Mohd Yusof was turned into a scapegoat and investigated under Sedition Act and Section 298A of the Penal Code for among others causing disunity on religious grounds, there was every reason for a benevolent person, race and faith irrespective, to get livid with the way religion is politicised by the Malaysian authorities.

Just what was the dog trainer’s ‘crime’ – that she is a woman and Muslim? Was this why Jakim dare accuse Maznah of blasphemy and warrant the strictest punishment against her?

Without giving Maznah a chance to explain herself and and the three-year-old video which got reloaded on YouTube recently, Jakim has taken upon itself to pronounce the guilty verdict.

The hue and cry by Jakim over a simple act of a Muslim woman taking her pets for a walk is indeed outrageous.

The problem here is not that Maznah took her dogs for a walk on the morning of Hari Raya Aidilfitri three years ago. Rather, the storm that is fast brewing is that Jakim which is merely an administrative agency has no qualms ‘crossing the line’ when it comes to Muslim women.

Maznah and her dogs have become a big issue for Jakim, but not the ultra Malays who in the name of religion threaten to kill anyone whom they assume is an enemy of Islam.

On one hand is a dog trainer whose religion has never been compromised and she is always aware of the do’s and dont’s when it comes to handling dogs.

On the other hand are outfits like Perkasa and Jati which keep giving Islam a bad name each time they call for the blood of the non-Malays.

It is racist set ups like Perkasa, Jati and Utusan Malaysia and not dog trainer Maznah whom Jakim should haul up for ‘rehabilitation’.

Don’t get carried away, Jakim

Looking at the way Jakim handles all things Islam, the agency is under the delusion that it is the keeper of morality of all Muslims in this country. If that is so, where was Jakim when some senior Umno politicians were said to be having extra-marital affairs?

What about the fact that some veteran Umno members and corruption are inseparable?

Do such acts by the politicians not warrant urgent action from Jakim, if safeguarding the image of Islam is the department’s only preoccupation?

It is a tragedy that Jakim refuses to see beyond the three-year-old video by dog trainer Maznah which featured her walking her three dogs with the Takbir Raya (a special prayer recited during the first day of Hari Raya) playing in the background and later having her wash their paws and feed them cookies.

If being compassionate ‘without reservations’ towards animals is a crime in Islam, then Allah help Maznah!

In the meantime, Jakim’s mind is set that Maznah must be dealt with severely and that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) must leave no stone unturned in its investigations on Maznah’s video.

To Jakim, Maznah’s “1 Hari di Hari Raya” video clip suggesting that Muslims could celebrate Aidilfitri with dogs is an affront to Islam.

But when it comes to incests and rapes involving the Muslim men, Jakim is always at loss for words. Why?

Or for that matter when Muslim teachers behave in ‘unIslamic’ ways when they pick on students of other races, does it not worry Jakim?

Maznah did good to stand her ground

Despite Jakim’s allegations that Maznah had insulted the faith and provoked the sensitivities of Muslims in Malaysia via her contact with dogs, this sensible dog trainer begged to differ and has stayed her ground, refusing to apologise for Maznah is resolute that she has not wronged her religion.

Jakim however refuses to listen.

By blowing the episode out of proportion, Jakim has further discredited its image. A Malay girl who loves dogs has become Jakim’s ‘number one enemy’.

But the preachers whose seditious Friday preachings are akin to ticking time bombs that can rip apart the country’s racial harmony do not disturb Jakim the slightest bit.

Instead it is the thinking Malay women who seem to rankle Jakim, be it Maznah or the professional Muslim women promoting rights of women in Islam, better known as Sisters in Islam – the latter having warned Jakim against claiming to be the voice of God in the Maznah episode.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.