Tag: Islam

Proposed Kelantan Cinema, Its First In 26 Years, Sparks Protests, Excitement

The Kelantan Youth wing of opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has delivered a memorandum of protest against the opening of the first cinema in the east coast state since the Islamist party took over in 1990, but it is unclear what exactly it is rallying against.

The memorandum submitted last week is believed to be against Paragon Cinema which was supposed to open this month at the KB Mall in Kota Baru, but the cineplex’s launch is still on hold as its operators await licence approval from the local municipal council and the Kelantan state government.

However, the PAS-led state government has denied receiving any licence application from any cinema operators so far, despite a posting on the mall’s official Facebook page claiming that Paragon’s doors will open this month.

“There has been no application made at all as of this moment,” Kelantan’s local government, housing, youth and sports committee chairman Abdul Fattah Mahmood told Malay Mail Online when contacted on Monday (July 18).

However, he refused to comment when asked about the status of Paragon Cinema, which was reportedly nearly completed.

PAS Kelantan Youth Chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who led the protest, told Malay Mail Online on Monday that he was afraid the opening of cinemas would cause the state government to deviate from its strict rulings on entertainment outlets.

“We asked for the government to be stricter with the enforcement of the enactment if they are going to allow it,” he said.

“We are worried that it won’t follow the enactment at all and this might lead to problems in the future.”

KB Mall’s leasing executive Mohd Ashrul confirmed the plan to open a cinema is still in the pipelines, but said an opening date has yet to be set as no licence has been issued so far.

“The construction is still on-going. There is no actual date on the opening yet,” he told Malay Mail Online on Monday.

When asked for elaboration on the licence application, Mr Mohd Ashrul revealed that the mall is still negotiating with Paragon Cinema’s top management about adhering to the strict restrictions set by the state authorities.

“About the licence, we are still negotiating on the application details. We are waiting for an answer from the top management,” he added, but refused to confirm whether an application has been lodged.

Since PAS took over Kelantan in 1990, several cinema outlets including Rex, Odeon and Lido were closed down as they did not adhere to the Entertainment Control Enactment 1998.

PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who is also Kelantan’s Deputy Chief Minister, told The Star over the weekend that the state is willing to consider the return of cinemas, even after the staunch protest from PAS Youth wing.

Mr Mohd Amar said however cinema operators would still be subjected to stricter guidelines which include gender-segregated seatings and restricted screenings during Muslim daily prayer times.

The Paragon Cinema complex, said to offer eight screening halls, stoked the excitement of Kelantan folks after its opening was announced on KB Mall’s Facebook page. The Facebook post has since been deleted.

According to Mr Mohd Ashrul, the cinema is a joint-venture between the mall operators and an outside investor looking to open the first cinema there, where entertainment outlets are a thorny topic.  Meanwhile, PAS’ Youth Wing on Monday objected to a concert by Selena Gomez in Shah Alam next week, claiming that the “sexy” American pop singer taints the Muslim month of celebration.

The Islamist party wing’s missionary bureau chairman Hafez Sabri said Ms Gomez’s concert on July 25 coincides with the 20th day of Syawal, the month of Aidilfitri.

“The appearance of the American born artist who has been synonymous with a sexy appearance would tarnish the nobleness of the month of Syawal that is celebrated with gratitude and penitence by Muslims … (It) promotes the culture of hedonism among the younger generations in this country,” he said in a statement.

Source: TODAY Online

July 19, 2016
Imam Shafie: For The Little Ones

Carrying a cardboard box, 42-year-old Mohd Shafie Mohd Hanapiah made his way to a room in the Pusara Aman Mosque at Lim Chu Kang Road.

When he entered the room, Shafie placed the box on a table and carefully took out its contents, laying them out in front of him on a stainless steel slab.

The box contained four foetuses and a few other surgical remains which he collected earlier from Changi General Hospital.

After reciting a quick prayer, Shafie began to carefully wash each foetus and each of the surgical remains. A sombre mood hung over the room.

Shafie said that he treats the foetuses as if they were his own.

“Sometimes when we do our duty and cleanse the foetuses, I will talk to them and say that they are like my children,” he said.

Working with an assistant, Shafie proceeded to carry out the necessary Islamic rites before shrouding the foetuses and surgical remains, then putting them back into the cardboard box to transport for burial later.

As an Imam with the Singapore Muslim Casket (SMC), it is Shafie’s responsibility to cleanse, shroud and bury unclaimed foetuses and surgical remains in accordance with Islamic ritual.

“It is wajib (compulsory) in Islam to wash, shroud and bury the foetuses. We cannot just dispose of them anyhow,” said Shafie.

Unclaimed bodies handled by SMC and MTFA

Working together with the Muslimin Trust Fund Association (MTFA), the SMC handles the burial of miscarried and aborted foetuses, surgical remains and unclaimed Muslim bodies in Singapore.

MTFA pays for the burial services for the burial of unclaimed Muslims bodies who have passed away in Singapore, as well as those whose next-of-kin are unable to pay for the burial rites. The services also include burying foetuses and surgical remains.

MTFA said the number of burials that includes unclaimed bodies, surgical remains and unclaimed foetuses varies from month to month.

In 2015, the association buried 27 bodies, 239 foetuses and 489 surgical remains. The number of foetuses rose by 15 per cent to 239 in 2015 after declining in the previous two years.

Unmarked graves

A former Company Sergeant Major with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Shafie has been preparing the foetuses, bodies and surgical remains for burial for the past 28 years. He started volunteering to cleanse and shroud Muslim bodies when he was 14.

The bachelor sees it as his responsibility to ensure that the unclaimed bodies, especially foetuses, are given proper burials.

“According to Muslim laws, even a small part of the body needs to be buried. We cannot just anyhow put the remains (foetus or body parts) at any plot of land. It has to be buried in a cemetery,” explained Shafie.

Shafie takes about 40 minutes to cleanse and shroud each foetus before they are brought to an unmarked piece of land at Lim Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery for burial.

Each plot is divided into two parts, and up to 20 foetuses are buried in each part, he said. At the cemetery, another quick prayer is recited after the foetuses and remains are buried.

There are no tombstones to mark the area.

Despite doing this job for almost 30 years, Shafie admits that burying a foetus is always heartbreaking.

“The feeling of sadness is there. We do have feelings for it (the foetuses) and it is not an easy task to do but we still have to proceed with it,” he said with tears welling up in his eyes.

Source: Yahoo News

July 19, 2016
Damanhuri Abas: The Turkey Failed Coup Exposes Western Hypocrisy On Democracy

The failed coup in Turkey exposes again (but conveniently ignored in mainstream discourse) western hypocrisy. It can be deduced from western mainstream media as the coup unfolds, their inclination to see Erdogan go. Shamelessly discarding their mantra of the defender of democracy. They were probably hoping that like Morsi in Egypt, to just let another of this ‘Islamist’ disappear ‘into the night’ quietly.

By the Grace of God, the people of Turkey unlike the Arabs in Egypt, stood together as one united people in denouncing the Military (most probably western backed) coup. Even the so-called secularist had the integrity to see through the game being played and stood by the democracy they believed in where differing opinions are discussed and debated and where disagreements do not mean hatred for each other.

This coup also exposes the conniving hypocrites in the ranks and file of state institutions in Turkey who instead of addressing grievances through the ballot box, had the audacity to resort to non-constitutional means to overthrow an elected government.

There is a lesson in all this for everyone who shout so much about rule of law, that when it comes to their own interest/preference (even in Singapore), they are likewise guilty of fanning this hypocrisy by rooting the illegal coup ‘quietly’ wishing for the overthrow of Erdogan. When will we grow up to behave like mature adults to debate and discuss and differ too but respect the rule of law to ensure justice for all within the democratic process. Or are we in truth only pretentious and not so civilized after all.

Integrity is the true test of character and sadly in the aborted coup event in Turkey, in our instinctive response, exposes our severe lack of it. Failure in our collective consistency to always follow agreed rule of law (local or international) but instead flip-flopping shamelessly, has led to the mess in the middle east when western powers since the time of colonization until today, deemed it their strange privilege to decide leaders of countries justified by their own self-interest ignoring the wishes of the indigenous population.

We will continue to allow this injustices on earth through our selective conscience so long as we choose to look the other way when our comfort zone, our people, our religion, our heritage, our civilization, our guy is doing the bad thing.

Instead we who claimed to be educated, modern and the so-called proud believers in democracy must raise our collective voices in praise of the success of the people of Turkey in fighting back and defying rogue elements of the Turkish military with their lives. In truth, the Turks in the streets of Ankara and Istanbul last Friday are fore runners in moving humanity forward in the spirit of defending civilization than all of us put together.

Walk the Talk people!!!!

Source: Damanhuri Abas

July 18, 2016
Walid J. Abdullah: Amazing That Muslims Are Still To Blame For Terrorism

It is truly amazing that some people still want Muslims to apologize for terrorist attacks, despite countless statements by Muslims denouncing terror.

It is truly amazing that Muslims are blamed for such attacks, especially considering that Muslims suffer on two counts: 1) they are usually equally likely to be victims (terrorists do not ask who is a Muslim first, and in any case, the ordinary Muslim is usually not Muslim enough for them) and 2) they suffer the backlash.

It is truly amazing that some people still show selective outrage, preferring to condemn some attacks on innocent lives, and not others.

It is truly amazing that no matter what the evidence is – whether or not the data show that terrorists are usually people who do not have proper religious training – there would be some people who would advocate that Islam be ‘reformed’.

It is truly amazing that people who have perennially condemned terrorism, have an utter disdain for the killing of innocent lives and have articulated it many, many, many times before, are still asked: ‘so what do you think about these attacks?’

It is truly amazing times indeed.

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

July 17, 2016
Gay Singaporean: HIV Made Me Better Appreciate My Life And Family

Mr Ajmal Khan is 26. Known as AJ to friends, he is lanky, has an easy laugh, enjoys computer games and Chinese food, and works in e-commerce. He has also been living with HIV for the last six years.

He is one of the increasing number of gay Singaporeans afflicted with the infection. Last year, 232 homosexuals were diagnosed with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). That is a 27.5 per cent jump from 2014 and the highest since 2009, when there were 139 new cases among gay men. There are around 7,140 residents in Singapore with HIV as of end 2015, of whom 1,816 had died.

AJ is now among the few Singaporeans to go public with his HIV status, alongside the likes of Mr Paddy Chew, who died in 1999 at the age of 39, and Mr Avin Tan, 30.

It was by chance that he found out he was infected. In 2010, he and his five friends were at a sauna on the same night that volunteer outfit Action for Aids had stationed a mobile HIV testing clinic outside. So they decided to get tested.

AJ, having tested negative seven months before, was not worried.

“My friends were all flashing their negative test cards. But when mine came back, it was positive,” he told The Sunday Times in his first interview to any newspaper.

“We were all like, nah, it can’t be. So I repeated the test. The second one came back positive as well. Everybody just stopped talking; it was very quiet. I just went numb. A couple of my friends started to cry.”

A year before, he had come out as gay, after dropping out of polytechnic. “I was young and a bit naive. I had this invincibility mindset.”

He admitted he was reckless, but at the same time said there was no one he could turn to for advice.

Volunteer groups such as Action for Aids and Oogachaga have called for more targeted outreach efforts towards youth.

Asked why he did not use protection, AJ said: “I had to figure it out on my own. It is a very awkward topic to bring up, especially during one-time encounters. I just didn’t think that it would happen to me.”

Asked if he knew who had infected him, he replied: “It could have been anyone.”

It was only two years after his diagnosis that he finally told his mother about it. He blurted it out while they were watching TV.

For Madam Honey Bee – she said her name was a result of a mistake when her birth was registered – that was the worst day of her life.

” I thought he was joking. I asked: ‘Really?’ He said yes,” said the 55-year-old administrative assistant. “He went out and I broke down.”

AJ is the second of her three sons. She brought them up almost single- handedly after divorcing her husband when AJ was only three and her youngest child was an infant.

Not all her relatives are supportive. “But I’m tired of pleasing everyone; I don’t want to hide any more. If my son wants to (go public), I agree with it,” she said.

In 2013, AJ finally decided to start anti-retroviral therapy. He realised it meant a lifelong commitment – stopping the drugs could mean the virus coming back stronger.

According to Professor Roy Chan, president of Action for Aids, the infection is no longer a death sentence. “Anti-retroviral drugs have revolutionised the treatment and management of HIV,” he said. “With optimum anti-HIV treatment, a person with HIV infection can live as long as those without HIV.”

But patients must adhere strictly to the medication. Otherwise the virus could multiply and become more drug-resistant.

AJ now takes a cocktail of five pills daily. They cost $400 a month after subsidies. His current HIV viral count is undetectable, meaning the virus does not show up in blood tests.

People do react awkwardly when they learn of his HIV status, asking him if he is going to die, and if that is the reason he is so skinny. They also worry about sharing food with him even though HIV does not spread via the sharing of dishes.

AJ said his current employers are accepting, but hunting for a job was not easy. He got only one call back for every 20 applications he sent out “just because I said that I have a medical condition. I did not even say what it was”.

AJ hopes that by putting himself forward and giving the infection a human dimension, he can dispel such myths and stereotypes.

His mother said she has found comfort in people who tell her that AJ’s openness has given them strength and that they, too, have friends and family with HIV. She added that the diagnosis has made AJ a “much, much better boy”.

AJ said: ” The irony is that HIV has made me appreciate my life and family a lot more.”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

July 16, 2016