The simple question that seems to elude the hard-heads is… how can the status of Islam as the official religion be compromised if a non-Muslim who intends to convert, inform his wife and family?

Does ‘peaceful, tolerant and merciful’ mean that when a Muslim convert dies, the ‘body-snatchers’ appear during the time of grief of the converts loved ones eventhough they had no clue of the conversion as obviously the convert was not practicing the religion [you can't pray 5 times a day and keep it a secret!]?

Or that a wife finds out that her husband and her children are suddenly Muslims and she has to depend on the Shariah Courts to grant custody of a couple of Muslim infants to a non-Muslim? I’ll have a better chance of spotting a Unicorn on the LDP!

…and even discussing this is such a sensitive issue?

I felt compelled to touch a little on issues you raised in the post.

First of all, do not misconstrue that the minorities here in Malaysia do not have respect for the majority ( you know who they are ). I am a “minority”, and I have a fair bit of “majority” friends or acquaintances. And relation have been cordial and warm. And I believe and can see that a lot of minorities are in my position too.

And as far as nation building is concerned, the administration has the main role to play. What can you expect the general reactions to be when policies are lop-sided? Even outsiders who are neutral parties, and I mean real outsiders ( foreigners visiting here ) could sense and perceive the discrimination and prejudiced policies.

Opportunists and bigots and religious fundamentalists ( especially those who have personal agenda and exploiters of religions ) are seen to have a hand in deciding policies and opinions in Malaysia. It is a sad situation where the masses , who are not well-versed in matters religious, are being exploited to defend a few of those are astray.

Let’s have mutual respect and be open about all issues. Nothing should be sensitive any more in this age and era. Discuss rather than confront, if there are contentious issues.

Today at 18: 35.24 (5 hours ago)
The bar council’s untimely and untoward move caused an expectant outcome because of the sensitive nature of the forum.
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Forum timing is questionable -”Untimely” 100% Agreed.

The bar council’s untimely and untoward move caused an expectant outcome because of the sensitive nature of the forum. As a society comprising different races, Malaysians have displayed the spirit of tolerance and respect to the other races in the past and this was due to acceptance of differences and not rejection of them.

When the words minorities and majority are used in the above sentence, it is the word bully that controls the thought. You respect others not because they can bully you. You cannot demand respect just because you have the number to bully.

You tape the mouths of the minorities, and then say it is a win-win situation ? We have been going up a one-way street for God-knows-how-long.

Its a sign of things to come. Think Hindraf. These incidents just sents the message to Hindraf supporters that they will never see justice without violence. Right now most of them are passive as shown by their hunger strike this weekend. But at some point, a tragedy, a stupidity like we saw this weekend will trigger violence. Its a matter of time.

More than anything else I am convinced by Najib’s response to the incident: “I told you so”. Admist what are serious problems, our annointed next Chief Executive gloats about how smart he is when in reality he is not. Who would NOT know it was going to bring out the monkeys!!! The man has no real answer to what ails us for the future. He will be the PM that comes in with the most baggage ever steeped in the traditions of UMNO politics in every form, an expired formula.

It is hollow to say that, “The non-Muslim minorities need to learn to respect the feeling’s of the majority if they want the same appreciation and respect in return; if we want a win-win situation and a truly successful nation building excercise, we need to bridge the religious divide, which is the ultimate impediment to Malaysia’s development and continued stability!”

How to bridge the divide when one party can’t even tolerate open discussion of some pertinent issues?

Bridge the religious divide by keeping mute???

It is OK to take lives in the interest of political stability. OK – anything new from a coconut head?? Limkamput?

If that is not a contradiction in terms I don’t know what is.

Yesterday at 11: 57.28
Then the Bar Council had failed their primary function.”

….and the lawyers disbarred.

I admit the Bar Council could have done it better by not doing it in the first place (see my earlier posts). However if you continue to insist the forum is to question Article 121 then you are the same as the protestors (all politicians 300 of them).

There was a clear intention to deceive the uninformed for the sole prpose of inflaming the masses for their own political gains. Now everyone knows there is a Khalid Noordin. Before this he was just another MP to some and to most nobody knows who he is (including most Kulim residents).

You see my point? Maybe you should ask yourself whether you know what the forum is all about, who were the panelists, invitees, mediators, topics of discussion before feeding us with your propaganda.

It reminds me of the story where a group of villagers at the behest of its Chief burns the house of someone who is rumoured to own a book that could have insuanated something adverse to Islam but it turned out no one found the book. Better still no one in the village could read in the first place save for the Chief and the Chief didn’t even bother reading the book.

EVERYBODY: Please READ that link.

All of you seem to be so eager to see some changes in this issue. Now we are still under UMNO and our ISLAM is known as ISLAM HADHARI (so many kinds of ISLAM? – i don’t know) But once the PAKATAN RAKYAT rule Malaysia, please make it a point that this forum is thoroughly discussed again. In fact MUSLIM himself will be openned to a more realistic kind of law. For instance, if anybody accuses you of SODOMY/RAPE etc, there must be 4 witnesses. And more muslim will not steal or accept curruption worrying their hands to be chopped down (!!!). And of course, non-muslim can opt to any secular civil law. Double standard? Two Laws? While, Malaysia seems to be like this…(!)

PKR may be something else because many of them are BORN IN UMNO. But do everybody know that majority of PAS strongmen have been rejecting UMNO since DAY ONE?

Lim Kiat Siang will jot it down that the first thing to talk about when PR hold the power is to resolve this sensitive matter. This should be a valid admisible matter and Nik Aziz is not that stuck-up to refuse talking about this. The only thing is that CURRENTLY HE HAS NOT GOT THE REAL POWER. So, UMNO is currently responsible.

Don’t be sad. Try again to talk about this in a more gentlemen manner once we have the power…. pls! We are on the way already!

This is a meeting organized by the Bar Council.

The purpose is to address conflicts of laws.

It is not intended to question provisions of Article 121(1A) of the Constitution, which conferred syariah jurisdiction over Muslims.

It is only intended “to address the conflicts of laws facing families caught between the separate jurisdictions of civil and syariah laws”.

Since the objective to to make our laws better, why the protests?

Why the fear when the objective is to make our laws better?

Is it due to the fear of inadequate representation from certain parties?

If so, why didn’t these parties voice their concerns that they are inadequately represented?

Are these parties concerned about their inability to discuss in a civil and adult-like manner, with proper data and reasoning?

Or is this protest a deliberate attempt to pursue hidden and selfish agendas?

If we truly strive for national unity, then, all parties must be able to come together and discuss in a civil and respectful manner. With mutual and genuine intentions to forge national unity.

National unity cannot be forced upon others. It can only be encouraged, and when there are mutual intentions to unite.

Old Observer.