Lately, JAIS and JAKIM have recorded headlines in the news media for their controversial actions causing Muslims and Non Muslims to react in disgust. While JAKIM is still reeling from the Cadbury Pork Chocs fiasco, JAIS has been severely reprimanded for raiding a Hindu Wedding Ceremony.
Their uncanny penchant for causing ethno-religious tensions has singled them out as objects of ridicule. Even Muslim Consumer Group PPIM has made police reports against JAKIM and calling for them to be investigated.
JAIS, MAIS or JAKIM have failed to comprehend that as an Islamic Institution tasked to represent the welfare of Muslims in this country, their actions should be above board. As public servants, they are answerable to tax payers and the Muslim community; therefore their actions must be completely transparent.
Trigger Happy Religious Police
For them to be effective, they must conduct themselves in a professional matter and take on a corporate image. Just like the judiciary and Police, they must be independent and free themselves from the clutches of politics or be used as political tools to further the ambitions of shrewd politicians.
But time and time again, the manner in which their officials behave while discharging their divine duties, smack of insolence, crudeness and utter disrespect, making them look more and more like ‘trigger happy religious police’.
Looking back, Malaysian Islamic Agencies need to embark on study tours to learn how Muslims integrate in the USA, UK, China and Indonesia, and how they co-exist in peace and harmony with respect for each other’s religion. Our agencies have failed miserably to uplift the sanctity of Islam, thus making a mockery of the religion.
Upholding the Federal Constitution
Ex-Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has suggested that such negligent officials be sent back to school or charged for dereliction of duties. He also blamed the so-called Islamic enactments and Syariah Laws as being vague and unworkable, which have caused these Officials to act with impunity. Such callous acts not only profane the sacred but tarnish the religion as well.
Asri also highlighted that they cannot act as law unto themselves and then claim to act in the name of religion or conduct themselves as religious police. They must learn that in Malaysia, the constitution is the supreme law and however zealous as they may be, they must submit to the law of the land.
Snatching bodies at funerals, illegally seizing Bibles and now disrupting a Hindu wedding is akin to “talibanisation”, he added.
Other Malays like Rose Ismail, a founding member of Sisters in Islam and now media consultant posted this on her Facebook: "This obsession to protect Muslims is sick. It underscores the sorry state that we are in. Above all, it belittles God."
Even former Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has told reporters that JAIS should refer to the Qur'an on ways to handle the situation. "When one becomes fanatical, that is how mistakes occur," referring to JAIS’s raid of the Hindu temple wedding.
Dr Mahathir also added that Islam has been greatly politicised and sarcastically quipped that he too would not dare to comment much, otherwise he would be declared as un-Islamic."
He also pointed out that not only non-Muslims, but Muslims themselves too are suffering in silence and in fear of such religious officials lurking in their midst and that we need not have to wait for the arrival of hudud laws for more damage to be done.
Unsolved Religious Issues
Meanwhile, many religious issues that need urgent attention and rectification are conveniently swept under the carpet or postponed indefinitely. Hindu bride, Zarinah’s nightmare has just begun. Her plight continues unsolved, running around in circles with JAIS referring her to the Syariah Courts, while the courts have requested for her lost dad’s signature and permission. The fact that she is already 32years old and a full grown adult makes no difference without her Dad to sign her release, which of course is not going to happen.
Lately, the Home Minister has referred her plight to the AG for consideration. But according to her, 20 long years and nearly RM20 thousand poorer in legal fees, she is still back to square one.
Something is seriously wrong with the system
Today, homeless Muslims who are in urgent need of aid has to turn to the Church, while the millions collected in ‘zakat’ are not reaching the right people, with some of it ending up as legal Fees in court cases instead.
Non Malay Muslims converted by their parents at a young age that never believed or practised the religion are facing insurmountable obstacles in their applications to renounce the religion. Such cases are just the tip of an iceberg.
Unilateral conversions of minors are still being practised, alarming Non Malays, while Islamic authorities close an eye.
On one hand we pass laws to disallow other Faiths from proselytising to the Muslims, but on the other hand we are trying furiously to proselytize them.
We have a paralyzing fear that Malay bibles will fall into the hands of Muslims, but we have no qualms if the Koran is read by Non Muslims or quoting from its scriptures.
Instead of concentrating their efforts to eradicate serious issues affecting the Muslims, like raiding drug dens to ferret out Muslim drug addicts consuming illegal substances or go after the Mat Rempits; Moral Squads prefer to snoop on young romantic couples out on harmless dates.
Rampant corruption and cronyism ravaging the country is largely ignored, with no one having the gall to tick the off the government, but making a mountain out of a molehill of loving couples showing their affection at a Valentine’s dinner.
They warn us time and time again, that liberalism and pluralism will destroy our Faith, yet they close an eye on the fanaticism, extremism, gangsterism and mob violence taking roots in this country.
They rant and rave when others try to insult our religion, but there is not even a squeak when fanatical NGO’s goes berserk, screaming and hollering at Non Muslims to pack up and leave.
There are also no attempts to apprehend or rein in extremist NGO’s that’s tearing the country apart with their racial and religious bigotry.
They ban rock concerts citing moral decay, but allow Astro to stream violent, steamy, un-Islamic western shows and MTV to every Muslim home in the country.
They discourage Muslims from interacting with Non Muslims, celebrating their festivals or visiting their homes on the pretext that such close contact will weaken our faith.
No amount of rhetoric can undo the damage their boorishness has done to the dignity of the Malays
Religion is being used to justify the need for more religious laws to restrict further the personal freedoms of Muslims, which are enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
They take the liberty to poke their noses into the private affairs of Muslims. They also frown on Muslims not wearing the veil, tight jeans, shorts or turtle neck t-shirts, citing recent Islamic enactments that gives them unlimited power to do so.
They fail to respect or accept that Muslim’s too are entitled to individual freedoms to live their lives’ according to God’s will.
They do not realise that their obscure views and despicable acts are making themselves look like religious clowns, in the eyes of the public.
Sadly today, talibanistic values are starting to manifest and overtake the moderate religious values that we once practise. We simply must do away with the hypocrisy of it all, and stop abusing religion for political gain.
Today, we do not see any attempts by Buddhists, Hinduists or Christians, to mock their own religion, except for a growing number of Muslim leaders who tarnishes the religion out of sheer ignorance. Surprisingly, these religions seem able to co-exist peacefully in Malaysian society without showing any aggression.
Malaysia is already 57 years old and right smack in the 21st century. We are living in a modern hi-tech world, alongside a global economy and rocket science. Islam is the youngest religion, so it should be able to adapt with the times. Malaysia once prided itself as a moderate Islamic nation, setting an example for other Muslim countries to follow.
Let’s not try to destroy all the goodwill that we have tried so hard to build up. - MAILBAG
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