A prominent Muslim group in Malaysia has joined calls by Islamic conservatives in Indonesia for a boycott of Starbucks to protest against the international coffee chain’s support of gay rights.
Perkasa, a group with about 700,000 members that campaigns for the rights of ethnic Malay Muslims, said it agreed with calls this week by Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim group, for a boycott of Starbucks over its pro-LGBT stand.
Perkasa also agreed with the Indonesian group’s call for Starbucks’ operating license to be revoked, it said.
Amini Amir Abdullah, who heads Perkasa’s Islamic affairs bureau, said Starbucks’ position challenged Malaysia’s constitution, which recognized Islam as the country’s official religion.
“Our objection is because they are promoting something that is against the human instinct, against human behavior and against religion. That’s why we are against it,” Amini told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.
Muhammadiyah’s call for a boycott has gained support from the Indonesian Ulema Council, its top clerical body.
The religious groups’ opposition to Starbucks came after a video from 2013 circulated online of pro-LGBT comments made by the company’s chairman and former chief executive, Howard Schultz..
PT Sari Coffee Indonesia, which holds the license to run the Starbucks chain in Indonesia, said in a statement it was not affiliated with any political or ideological groups.
“We are grateful and proud to have been a part of local communities in Indonesia for 15 years, always maintaining the deepest respect for, and adherence to, Indonesia’s local laws, culture and beliefs,” said Fetty Kwartati, a director at PT MAP Boga Adiperkasa, the parent company of PT Sari Coffee Indonesia.
Some Muslims in Indonesia, however, said the boycott call would not stop them from buying Starbucks coffee.
“I love their products, not their CEO,” said Jakarta resident Kornelius Kamajaya.
The boycott call got a similar response from some in Malaysia.
“Don’t make it such an issue that we have to boycott a company because of one small statement,” said Muhammad Azril Maridzuan, an assistant bank manager in Kuala Lumpur.
Muslim groups should not “be so extremist” even though gay rights was against their religious beliefs, he said.
I just received this under my door. The hp no is no longer in service and no one answers the tel line.
When I called Muhammadiyah, I was shocked to find out they had already DISCONTINUED this door to door collection and they have actually made a police report.
Someone was using their logo and slip to make false collection.
Jakarta. The highest authority of Muslim clerics in Indonesia has issued a fatwa against what a leading Indonesian news website has dubbed “Jilboobs” — women who wear a jilbab, or Islamic headscarf, but skimp on adopting entirely the conservative dress code by wearing “tight” clothing below the neck.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) met on Thursday in Jakarta. The MUI is composed of clerics from Indonesia’s largest Islamic organizations, including Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, and has a broad range of responsibilities including issuing halal certificates and advising the government on policy.
“The MUI already has a fatwa against pornography. But that means that you should not show the shape of the body by wearing a jilbab, but with tight clothing,” said vice chairman of the MUI, Ma’ruf Amin, as quoted by Liputan6. “The MUI strictly forbids it.”
Ma’ruf applauded Indonesian women for electing to wear the jilbab, but was critical of individuals who had elected to dress as they pleased.
“We respect those who are already wearing the jilbab,” he said. “But for those already wearing the jilbab, it should not be vulgar.”
Yes there are these bunch of people whom always get treated badly because of their appearance / attitude / behaviours , because they are DIFFERENT. Yes , they are loud and party people and fun to hangout with . Yes , they SEEM to not know anything about stuff where the ” REAL ” Couple go through. Yes , they seem to go to a path differently from the “origins” path WHICH doesnt even EXIST cause really , the path that each of us are walking will always be the true one. Many people say , you are confused thats why you are like this , whereas we are’nt . We are the LBGT Community. IN FACT , I dun even wish to categories.We are the normal human beings that you also see everyday in your lives. We are the human being with feelings too , we are NEVER A TOY to PLAY. We Get Criticize Alot Thats True but we really don’t care about the things that they THE IGNORANCE were saying. We just play along with the words they say and act as if it never happened. Though sometimes it kills to hear those harsh words from them.
DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHATS DISGUSTING?!! Seriously. The way we walk , talk , dress and our lifestyle are DIFFERENT. Yes it is different. When we walk outside , dressing up as a Metrosexual , putting on Makeups to boost our confidence , there you go EYES STARES everywhere , and then came gossips here and there . The malay aunties will go preech the OMG , the uncles will just shaked their heads . The normal aunties will just brag about the way we dress and stuff. And the teens , they will just look at us as if we are some kind of FREAK. The friends that you are not close to / expose to , will give weird comments and even questions that you don’t even wish to hear. Will just have to pull it off and make fake smiles to them or in other words SLY. This is roughly the daily basis of our lifestyle which applies to those who aren’t comfortable with us or still not accepting us.
WHATS THERE TO ACCEPT OR NOT TO ?!? IS THERE EVEN A CHOICE WHEN COMES TO ACCEPTING ANOTHER BEING? You ask yourselves that , in terms of LBGT , you can ask them why they become like this , or what made them like that , but really there is never a fixed answer to that , NEVER , cause they themselves are not sure of what to reply back to you cause really , they are born that way or the lifestyle around them which helps them to shape up to what they have become now , and they have NEVER taken it for granted , they only can accept the fact of what they have done and accepting the reality and goes on in life to what they are. Yes we do have choices in LIFE that you can’t deny , but if we are comfortable with who we are and that people around us or our loved ones accepts the way we are , we will never hesitate to be more passionable and more fruitful in life than ever.
Muhammad Khairul IkhwanMuhammad Khairul Ikhwan
THE FAMILY , its a tough tough situation when comes to this , and it will take years to get accepted or will NEVER be accepted. Its hard for people in LBGT to get accepted and love from families due to the status that they are in, even I myself am still stuggling to get my family accept the way I am. They would always ask why you have chose to be this way or that way and that the fact is we don’t choose , we just feel ourselves when we are that and GOD loves each and every one of us.Though there are some parents whom still accepts their child for who they are and supported them. My mum supports for what I’m doing and stuff , but still there is always a nudge sometimes .. I really hope she does. They were many obstacles that people like us have to think of besides thinking of how to feel or be accepted in the public.
ASIAN OR AMERICANS , IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU ARE OR RELIGION YOU ARE?! Its the same everywhere or anyone, you will just feel disconnected from the society or sometimes feel not being socialize to your family members due to some circumstances. Firstly , you do not want to have an impression where they will just like hates the way you are , and being in that situation , you try to avoid them and spend more time with your friends . Secondly, sometimes going to your own worship places , you will feel uncomfortable due to stares received , and people whom are Homophobic / or people whom are noble . Though there will be some of the nobles that will come and talk to you and try to be understanding yet very rare to find those noble people these days. Which is why sometimes , its hard for us to go there .
THE SOCIETY . Teachers , friends family members ,SAID JUST BE YOURSELVES AND NEVER LIE TO IT , I’m not sure whether the things they say the MEAN IT. When we be ourselves , we get criticised , we get bad comments , we get haters , we get stares , we get teased , we get DEHUMANISED to the extend , some of us Commited Suicide due to overly depressed about not being able to get accepted for being themselves. Should we Discreet and LIE to ourselves the whole LIFE we live. Should we do dirty stuff and things that we should not do and make ourselves uncomfortable and “GET USED TO IT ” to the situation or the appearance of the people . Should “FIT IN ” to please or respect others people demand whereas they dont even respect and disgusted towards us? Should we?? Should we live a life with 2 faces ? or even deny the things that we like and rejects everything we love to and passionate about?
THERE GOES , they will then say , not that we don’t accept you or whatever you are doing BUT…BUT….BUT.. There will always be a BUT , …just stop SLY~ing we had enough of it. Appreciate us. We are Nevertheless The Same As You. If you think that we are that disgusting , think again , the worst and sick people are out there somewhere , you shall know when time comes…
Lastly for the last part of this note , this goes to all those people whom you think you are having a hard time getting accepted just because you are Different . This note Is Especially For You Isaac Hasan<3 .
NEVER REJECT YOURSELF, I WANT YOU TO REJECT ANYONE OR ANYTHING THAT EVER MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE AN OUTCAST OR MAKE YOU FEEL THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE GREAT OR YOU ARE NOT FIT ENOUGH , YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH OR YOU CANT SING WELL ENOUGH OR YOU CANT DANCE WELL ENOUGH OR YOU WILL NEVER BE A STAR YOU JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE GOD DAMN SUPERSTAR AND YOU WERE BORN THIS WAY – LADY GAGA – MY INSPIRATION.
I have a confession to make. I was formerly a Muslim who was interested in girls. It starts because I was confused about myself. Ever since I was young, I know that I dun really like boys. I feel very strange when I look at the TV and see so many people kissing. I didnt understand why pretty girls would kiss boys. I never saw my mother kiss my father as they were divorced when I was very young.
When I was growing up I also dun understand why my friends like to go out with boys. I felt very lonely and kept this to myself until later when I was in secondary school. In sec 4, I met this nice girl and that was when I had my first kiss with another girl. I felt at that time like I truly loved her. She meant a lot to me. I know that Islam says LGBT is wrong but nobody reminded me and all the religious teachers didnt really talk about LGBT. Most of the Muslim religious preachers were silent about the dangers of LGBT so I was not aware of how much sin and danger I was in.
Anyway suddenly this girl disappeared and dun return my calls. I was so sad at that time. I saw her again 2 years later. I had been with a few other girls but broke up after another short term relationship. I asked her why she never returned my calls. She said that she had met this Pastor at her church. He was so wise and know so much about God and told her she was living in sin. I was at first unhappy and angry with him. When I first met him, I wanted to slap him. But he was very calm and listened to what I had to say.
He then invited me to one of his sessions at his church. It was so different from the religious classes I went to in the part time madrasahs that I went to. They were so open and welcoming and loving and supportive. It was also quite fun and joyful with a lot of singing. When I saw him speak, I realized that I could actually love a man. I also met alot of new friends who pulled me away from the sinful LGBT lifestyle. I am forever grateful to him and the church for opening my heart to God and leading me away from my sinful lesbian lifestyle.
Now I read about the wearwhite movement. Even though Ustaz Noor Deros may not be the pastor who converted me from my life of sin, I see that inside he is sincere, and this movement will attract people to turn away from homosexuality. Maybe if he was born earlier I could have left the LGBT lifestyle but remained a Muslim.
I hope our Lord grant the Ustaz with the strength in battling the evils of homosexuality and unnatural lust, and grace him and his followers with the knowledge that the only true marriage in the eyes of God is between one man and one woman (I left Islam partly because of the fact that someone pointed out that they support polygamy, which is a slippery slope to gay marriage, bestiality and pedophilia.) But I am glad that there are church leaders like Pastor Lawrence Khong who are standing up together with the Muslims to protect our morality.
