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Tag: Muslim

  • Aceh Shariah Court Sentences 2 Men To 85 Public Cane Lashes For Indulging In Gay Sex

    Aceh Shariah Court Sentences 2 Men To 85 Public Cane Lashes For Indulging In Gay Sex

    BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — A Shariah court in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province has sentenced two gay men to public caning for the first time, further undermining the country’s moderate image after a top Christian politician was imprisoned for blasphemy.

    The court, whose sentencing Wednesday coincided with International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, said the men, aged 20 and 23, would each be subjected to 85 lashes for having sexual relations. One of the men cried as his sentence was read out and pleaded for leniency. The chief prosecutor, Gulmaini, who goes by one name, said they will be caned next week, before Ramadan starts on about May 25.

    The couple was arrested in late March after neighborhood vigilantes in the provincial capital Banda Aceh suspected them of being gay and broke into their rented room to catch them having sex. Mobile phone footage that circulated online and formed part of the evidence shows one of the men naked and visibly distressed as he apparently calls for help on his cellphone. The second man is repeatedly pushed by another man who is preventing the couple from leaving the room.

    The lead judge, Khairil Jamal, said the men were “legally and convincingly proven to have committed gay sex.”

    He said the three-judge panel decided against imposing the maximum sentence of 100 lashes because the men were polite in court, cooperated with authorities and had no previous convictions.

    “As Muslims, the defendants should uphold the Shariah law that prevails in Aceh,” Jamal said.

    International human rights groups have described the treatment of the men as abusive and humiliating and called for their immediate release. Human Rights Watch said in April that public caning would constitute torture under international law.

    Prosecutors had asked that they receive 80 lashes.

    Aceh implemented an expanded Islamic criminal code two years ago that allows up to 100 lashes for morality offenses including gay sex.

    Caning is also a punishment for adultery, gambling, drinking alcohol, women who wear tight clothes and men who skip Friday prayers. More than 300 people were caned for such offenses last year.

     

    Source: www.cbsnews.com

  • Myanmar Arrests Buddhist Monks Accused Of Targeting Muslims

    Myanmar Arrests Buddhist Monks Accused Of Targeting Muslims

    Myanmar police have arrested two hardline Buddhist nationalists and are seeking several more after they clashed with Muslims in the country’s commercial capital Yangon, underscoring the authorities’ growing concern over rising religious tensions.

    The arrests came after nationalists led by the Patriotic Monks Union (PMU) raided flats on Tuesday in a Yangon district with a large Muslim population, igniting scuffles that were only broken up when police fired shots into the air.

    Two weeks ago, the same people had forced the closure of two Muslim schools.

    “We have arrested two people since yesterday evening, and are still looking for the rest of them,” said Police Major Khin Maung Oo, in charge the police station in Yangon’s Mingalar Taung Nyunt district, where this week’s clashes took place.

    The 13-month-old administration of Aung San Suu Kyi had made tentative moves against nationalist hardliners, but the arrests mark a significant step-up in the government’s efforts, highlighting official concerns over a potential outbreak of violence in the country’s main city, which has a substantial Muslim population.

    Tensions between majority Buddhists and Myanmar’s Muslim minority have simmered since scores were killed and tens of thousands displaced in intercommunal clashes accompanying the onset of the country’s democratic transition in 2012 and 2013.

    Mutual distrust has deepened since October, when attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents in northwestern Rakhine state provoked a massive military counter-offensive, causing about 75,000 Rohingya to flee across the border to Bangladesh.

    Brigadier-General Mya Win, the commander of Yangon’s regional police security command, said extra security forces had been deployed and the police were on high alert to prevent communal violence.

    “We are patrolling around Muslim areas and have taken security measures around places of worship,” he told Reuters news agency.

    Leaders of the PMU said they were acting independently of the Ma Ba Tha, a larger hardline Buddhist and anti-Muslim organisation that counts among its leaders the firebrand monk Wirathu, who once called himself “Myanmar’s Bin Laden.”

    Ma Ba Tha holds its nationwide congress in Yangon – a city of more than five million that has been a focus of foreign investment since a former military government ceded power in 2012 – in two weeks and is expecting about 10,000 monks to attend.

    Targeting Muslims

    In both incidents, PMU monks and lay sympathisers targeted Muslim areas after attending a trial of fellow nationalists facing charges of inciting violence during a protest in front of the United States embassy in Yangon last year.

    “We didn’t want any confrontation with the nationalists so we allowed them to shut down our schools,” said Tin Shwe, the chairman of the Muslim schools, referring to an incident on April 28.

    Tin Shwe, and a lawmaker from the ruling National League for Democracy, said the nationalists came to the schools with local administrators and policemen.

    On Tuesday the group – again accompanied by local authorities and police – searched a building in a different part of Yangon shortly before midnight, claiming some Rohingya Muslims were staying there illegally.

    Local residents confronted the nationalists, gathered in front of the building, prompting police officers to fire warning shots to break up the crowd.

    A Yangon court issued the arrest warrant against seven people, including two monks, charging them with inciting communal violence, which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison.

    At a news conference on Tuesday, organised shortly before the arrest warrants were issued, the nationalists vowed to keep fighting Muslim influence in the country, citing government reluctance to “protect race and religion” in Myanmar.

    “We are protecting our people because government authorities are reluctant to do that. Even though many people hate us, we are not creating problems,” U Thuseikta, a monk and a senior official of the PMU, told reporters.

    Tin Shwe, the Muslim community leader, said: “We want to get equal treatment and be protected by the government – we voted for them with our hands.”

     

    Source: www.aljazeera.com

  • Singapore-Registered BMW Draws Ire Of JB Netizens For Parking In Handicap Lot

    Singapore-Registered BMW Draws Ire Of JB Netizens For Parking In Handicap Lot

    A Singapore-registered BMW drew the ire of Malaysian netizens after the driver was spotted parking in the handicap lot not once but twice. The witness said the driver was not handicapped and wondered if they dared to do this in their own country Singapore.

    Facebook complaint by Malaysian Netizen Dilla Arriffin

    “Second time seeing this particular car (SJV234H) park at the disable parking in aeon bukit indah. The first time was on a different day.

    The couple was perfectly fine, no visible disability spotted. Dont think they could do this in their own country would they?”

    Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

  • Epigram Books Illustrated Handbooks On Singapore’s Main Races Received Mixed Responses Online

    Epigram Books Illustrated Handbooks On Singapore’s Main Races Received Mixed Responses Online

    Epigram Books came under the spotlight earlier this month for a series of illustrated handbooks released by the independent local publisher.

    Authored by Edmund Wee, the founder of Epigram Books, ‘The Understanding Singaporeans’ series consists of four illustrated handbooks. Each handbook contains 20 questions, with answers as well as useful tips, to some of the most asked questions young Singaporeans have revolving around the country’s four main races.

    According to Epigram, the four-book bundle, each representing one ethnic community within the country, was produced with one thought in mind – “How do we respond to the most awkward questions children ask?”

    Readers on the publisher’s Facebook page however, pointed out the misrepresentation between the races and its customs.

    One netizen, Sharifah Husin, said, “The titles should be “Why do Hindus dot their foreheads?” and “Why do Muslims avoid Pork?”. However, since the series is meant to focus on practices unique to each of the four races, a clear understanding of the difference between race and religion must be ensured before publishing the books. Incorrect information transmitted will mislead readers, especially children, who would like to learn more. For example, Non-Hindu Indians do not dot their foreheads, while Non-Muslim Malays do not don the Hijab.”

    While others appreciated the efforts put forth by Epigram Books on “opening a dialogue between races”, some also echoed Sharifah’s sentiments, pointing out that not all Indians are Hindus, and only Hindu women wear ‘bindis’ on their forehead.

    Epigram Books was quick to issue a response, clearing the air and explaining their choice of words for the titles and questions asked from the four-series book.

    Since the beginning of their promotions for the book series, Epigram has been receiving queries about their choice of titles, the publisher explained.

    “To be honest, we had very much the same concerns while debating the merits of these titles. To alleviate those concerns, we made sure to run through the books’ content through various focus groups sourced from representative ethnic communities and associations to ensure that any sensitivities are adequately addressed,” Epigram said, in a post.

    They had picked the titles that best represented “what our children can best relate to and most likely ask, not to mention that they would also grab the attention of adults enough to spark a much-needed conversation on race and religion”.

    Epigram agreed that the book, meant for children between 5- to 8-year-old, can only “scratch the surface of an otherwise complex topic” but they hope that it would be an opportunity for adults to address these “awkward” questions with more confidence.

    “We’d like to ask that you see the Understanding Singaporeans series with the eyes, mind and innocence of a child, so that you can understand how children might come up with these questions in the first place,” Epigram added.

    The series of illustrated books can be purchased from Epigram Books website.

     

    Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

  • Kumpulan 25 Melayu Terkemuka – Pendapat Dr Zakir Naik Tiada Tempat Dalam Dunia Sekarang

    Kumpulan 25 Melayu Terkemuka – Pendapat Dr Zakir Naik Tiada Tempat Dalam Dunia Sekarang

    KUALA LUMPUR: Komen-komen negatif pendakwah yang penuh kontroversi, Dr Zakir Naik, terhadap agama lain boleh mencetuskan bahaya ke atas negara berbilang kaum dan sekular seperti Malaysia.

    Demikian menurut kumpulan bekas penjawat awam Melayu di Malaysia, dipanggil Kumpulan 25 Melayu Terkemuka (G25).

    Menerusi kenyataan media yang dikeluarkan minggu ini, G25 menambah pihaknya bimbang tentang sikap tolak ansur pihak berkuasa Malaysia terhadap sikap Dr Zakir Naik serta mempersoalkan status penduduk tetap yang diberikan kepadanya. Berikut ini kenyataan G25:

    G25 bimbang dengan sikap tolak ansur pihak berkuasa Malaysia terhadap komen-komen ekstrim yang dibuat oleh Dr Zakir Naik menerusi dakwahnya.

    Kami percaya dengan hak kebebasan bersuara namun apabila ia dibenarkan bagi orang-orang tertentu sementara pihak yang berlainan pendapat pula tidak diberikan kebebasan bersuara, itu bukanlah bentuk kebebasan bersuara untuk masyarakat kita yang berbilang budaya.

    Meskipun kami menghormati hak demokratik Dr Zakir Naik untuk menyuarakan pandangan beliau tentang Islam dan membandingkannya dengan agama lain dengan menukil beberapa kitab agama untuk memberikan gambaran pendapat beliau, Dr Zakir Naik seringkali mencetuskan kemarahan di kalangan masyarakat Muslim dan bukan Muslim disebabkan kebiasaannya memperolok-olokkan doktrin dan amalan agama lain.

    Beliau juga dikait rapat dengan pandangan ekstrim dan sikap tidak bertolak ansur terhadap hak kebebasan beragama. Oleh sebab itu beliau dilarang berdakwah di Britain, Kanada, Singapura, India dan Pakistan.

    Dr Zakir Naik gemar berbahas namun hanya dengan orang-orang beliau dan yayasan privetnya luluskan.

    Terdapat juga dakwaan yang menyatakan beliau tidak akan berbahas dengan para cendekiawan dari agama lain. Beliau mengelak perdebatan serius dengan para cendekiawan yang termuka di peringkat antarabangsa dengan meletakkan syaratnya sendiri.

    Dengan meletakkan syarat berbahas hanya dalam sekitaran yang menjadi pilihan beliau, Dr Zakir Naik jelas menunjukkan sikap pendakwah yang mahu diberikan sorakan gemuruh oleh hadirin supaya dapat menutup mulut lawannya.

    Kami juga bimbang komen-komen negatif Dr Zakir Naik terhadap agama lain akan membuat para ulama kita di Malaysia semakin berani mencontohi sikap tidak bertolak ansur beliau.

    Respons yang kami pantau dari kumpulan-kumpulan perbicangan menunjukkan golongan bukan Muslim berasa cemas dengan trend baru di mana para cendekiawan agama seolah-olah kebal dan boleh menyuarakan pendapat sesuka hati tanpa menimbangkan perasaan mereka yang dari agama lain.

    Sikap Dr Zakir Naik terhadap agama tiada tempat dalam dunia sekarang dan boleh mencetuskan bahaya sosial yang serius di negara yang berbilang kaum dan sekular seperti Malaysia.

    Ia juga membimbangkan apabila kami mendapat tahu Dr Zakir Naik dapat memperolehi status sebagai Penduduk Tetap dari Kementerian Ehwal Dalam Negeri tanpa diketahui oleh orang ramai sama ada beliau sudah memenuhi kriteria dan kelayakan ketat seperti yang dikenakan ke atas pemohon lain.

    Tentunya ratusan ribu kanak-kanak di Malaysia yang tidak mempunyai kerakyatan perlu mengetahuinya.

    Selain itu, jika pengecualian diberikan ke atas Dr Zakir Naik, maka penjelasannya perlu didedahkan.

    Akhirnya, pihak berkuasa Malaysia tidak sepatutnya dilihat sebagai memperjuangkan hak seseorang individu yang mempunyai reputasi sedemikian dan kami menggesa mereka supaya mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga.

    Sekiranya Malaysia digesa untuk bekerjasama dalam menangani pelampau agama yang berbahaya, kami menggalak supaya kerajaan melakukannya.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg