Mat Sabu: MCA insulting Islam

SHAH ALAM, Oct 22 — PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu today accused political foe MCA of having insulted Islam and not only the Islamist party when it alleged that PAS condones the rape of non-Muslim women.

He cautioned the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition’s Chinese component against making such statements.

“MCA should be careful when making such statements, because it is no longer insulting the party but insulting the religion. Do not twist Nik Aziz’s statement,” Mohamad(picture) told The Malaysian Insider.

The opposition leader was responding to MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s remark over the weekend when agreeing with a Wanita MCA leader’s view that PAS condones the rape of non-Muslim women, pointing out that PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat had made the opinion clear in a speech four years ago.

Dr Chua alleged that in the 2008 speech, Nik Aziz had said that women who do not “tutup aurat” (protect their modesty) “deserved to be raped”.

“And the reason he gave was that this is because the eye is connected to the genitalia so when you see… you get provoked.

“This is not what I am saying… this is what Nik Aziz said. I can get you a tape immediately if you are interesting in seeing (Nik Aziz’s speech),” he told reporters after chairing a special briefing with MCA delegates ahead of the party’s main annual general meeting (AGM).

Dr Chua was ask to comment on a Malaysiakini report quoting Wanita MCA vice-chairman Senator Heng Seai Kie as saying during the wing’s AGM earlier that PAS condones the raping of women who do not conform to the Islamic dress code.

According to the news portal’s report, Heng, in trying to explain how Islamic hudud law would affect both the Muslims and non-Muslims, had cited Nik Aziz’s 2008 speech, which can be found on YouTube. 

“If you watch the YouTube clip, you would know that Nik Aziz had once said that a woman should ‘tutup aurat’ (protect their modesty), otherwise the woman should be raped.

“From Nik Aziz’s speech, we can conclude that Nik Aziz openly asked Muslims to rape non-Muslims, am I right?” Heng was quoted as saying on the portal.

Appearing to agree with Heng’s point, Dr Chua pointed out again that Nik Aziz’s speech had been recorded.

Asked, however, if Heng had twisted the matter out of context as Nik Aziz had purportedly only been speaking about Muslim women, Dr Chua said: “I think you missed the part where Nik Aziz explained why you need to tutup aurat… because if you do not tutup… then it provokes, you know, all these young men. You understand?

“When a Muslim man wants to rape, it does not mean he must rape only a Muslim, right? He can rape anybody… so do not spin it out of control.”