First his wife and then his daughter taken away…


First his wife and then his daughter taken away...

Siti Fatimah was born in 1978 to an Indian Muslim couple. She was brought up by her grandmother who is a practising Hindu. She sees herself as a Hindu and declared herself as one on 21 Mar 2001 through a statutory declaration. She changed her name to Revathi Masoosai.

She is married to Suresh a/l Veerappan, a Malaysian Indian Hindu on 10 March 2004, against her family’s opposition. They could not register their marriage because of her religion.

She gave birth to a daughter on 19 December 2005 at the Malacca General Hospital. Two days later, just about when she was packing to go home, three men and a woman who introduced themselves as officials from Malacca Islamic Office came to ask her to hand over her daughter to them. She refused.

She was not able to register her daughter as a Hindu. In fact she had difficulty in getting her a birth certificate. She had to change her Muslim name to Hindu name in her identity card.

In January this year, Revathi was taken into custody and taken to Pusat Pemulihan Akidah di Ulu Yam, Selangor, for rehabilitation for 100 days. Her rehabilitation will be due by 18 April but her detention can be extended.

During her detention, Suresh and his mother took care of his daughter. On March 26, Suresh was told his daughter, now 15 months old, was taken away by a group of people which consisted of a policeman, a lawyer and Revathi’s mother. He lodged a police report the same day, stating that he had no knowledge of the whereabouts of his daughter.

This sad story of first his wife and then his daughter taken away from Suresh was narrated by DAP Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam, Chong Eng, who brought the issue to the attention of Parliament during her speech on the Royal Speech debate last Thursday (29th March).

She appealed to the Prime Minister to instruct the authorities concerned to return the child to the mother. She said that religion is about humanity and separating mother and child, husband and wife is inhuman and inhumane, which must be against the values of Islam and the good family values that the Women, Family and Social Ministry wanted to promote in the “Family first” campaign.

  1. #1 by Libra2 on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 7:35 pm

    Please send this story to Macap. Tell them UMNO is worse than PAS.

  2. #2 by osaya on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:02 pm

    what else can one say?

  3. #3 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:15 pm

    “Siti Fatimah was born in 1978 to an Indian Muslim couple.”

    This is a jurisdictional problem which unless resolved will continue to inflict pain and suffering on those involved. Let’s not, however, politicize the issue. It is for the lawyers and the courts and for the country’s legislature to amend the law or introduce new ones.

    It is an issue best seen within the context of human rights. It is a human rights issue.

    There can be no political solution to what is a legal problem.

  4. #4 by k1980 on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:18 pm

    The Maria Hertogh riot was probably one of the bloodiest riots in the whole of Singapore history. There were 18 deaths and 173 injured. This riot started on 11 December 1950.
    During World War II, as Maria’s Dutch catholic parents were taken away by the Japanese, her parents entrusted her to a family friend, Aminah. But on April 1950, Maria’s biological parents appealed in court and they took back Maria. But soon, Aminah appealed and Maria was returned to Aminah…

    From the conclusion of the above history, Revathi should have got of the country with her family and never ever come back. Countries such as Australia and Canada readily accept immigrants on the grounds of religious persecution. But now it is too late.

  5. #5 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:19 pm

    Sending anybody to so-called ‘rehabilitation centers’ because they choose to hold different beliefs is a human rights issue.

  6. #6 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:20 pm

    This is A PERFECT EXAMPLE of what is wrong with mixing state power and religion – no matter how illogical and senseless the action, its still taken in the name of religious rules.

    The sheer suspension of using ones common sense and mind to look at the entire situation can have irreparable damage even if no malice actually exist. It takes only a small number of malicious leaders, maybe even just one skillful one and the damage could be a human atrocity.

  7. #7 by k1980 on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:27 pm

    Are these ‘rehabilitation centers’ based on the the gulags of the USSR where non-conformists were imprisoned and tortured to change their minds?

  8. #8 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:40 pm

    “Countries such as Australia and Canada readily accept immigrants on the grounds of religious persecution. But now it is too late.”

    No, it is never too late.

    All they need are passports and the will to survive the strange foreign, perhaps hostile environment that awaits all refugees. International asylum laws (based on the U.N. refugee laws) allow refugees fleeing religious persecution to live under the protection of countries they sought refuge in.

    These countries include Australia, N.Z. and the U.K. and the U.S. Not too long ago, there was a case involving a Malaysian Chinese couple one of whom was born a Muslim but was raised as a Buddhist, who could not marry her Chinese Buddhist husband. They sought refuge in N.Z. and were granted asylum there.

    For those of you who think that that could be a short cut and a way to obtain permanent residence abroad, think again. It is not that easy even for the bona fide cases.

    Further, Malaysia is still a good country to live in, work in and retire. As they always say the grass appears greener on the other side. It does not matter which side you are on, it is always greener the ‘other’ side.

  9. #9 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 8:50 pm

    “Are these ‘rehabilitation centers’ based on the the gulags of the USSR where non-conformists were imprisoned and tortured to change their minds?” k1980

    It is not half as funny to those who are involved. They are being forced to adhere 24/7 to a system of religious beliefs they do not want to adhere to. They are only released once they demonstrate their conformity to such beliefs. That is sufficient to meet the definition of ‘torture’ (which is not a term of art) albeit mental torture but torture nevertheless.

    Reevathi is fortunate in a sense because she now qualifies as a refugee fleeing religious persecution. It is up to her what to do with her life.

  10. #10 by negarawan on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 9:13 pm

    Pusat Pemulihan Akidah is an abomination of basic human rights! If anyone should be sent there for torture, it is the corrupted UMNO politicians themselves. This should be reported to the UN commission.

  11. #11 by robert wong on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 9:26 pm

    Our country is run by religious fanatics rather than capable state’s men.

  12. #12 by a-malaysian on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 9:26 pm

    Its ok if bn want to mix politic and religion but they must mix them right.

    I am not against any religion for all religions preach only good things but it is the human who wants to play god at times.

    To prevent all these problems from happening, a proper guidelines must be written (something like the rukunegara) to let each and every citizen in Malaysia knows about it if they want to convert to muslim.

    They must be informed in black and white what will happen to them, their family and children if they want to convert to muslim.

    Once in, you are in forever and those who wants to marry a muslim must convert to become a muslim. Are these true, if it is, then they must be informed about it before they commit themselves.

    Transparency and truthfulness will help to stop all the misunderstanding and suffering.

    50 years is ENOUGH
    Vote For A Change
    Vote For Any Opposition
    Give Them A Chance To Change For A Better Malaysia
    Remember bn Is A Useless Grouping Of Self Serving, Corrupt, Dictator, Power Crazy, Racist, Kris waving etc, etc type of parties.

  13. #13 by pharisee on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 10:31 pm

    What makes us hold on to what we believe in ? Why don’t you make life easier by just supporting the party that is ruling the country whether it is right or whether it is wrong ? True conviction is only known to yourself and those who understand you. On one hand, Siti was borned to a pair of muslim parents. On another hand, Revathi is influenced by her grandmother. Which one is her actual religious conviction ? Does she have a religious conviction at all ? A person becomes a muslim by the declaration of faith or shahada. Has Siti or Revathi ever declare her faith ? Surah 2:256 in the Koran says – There is no compulsion in religion — the right way is indeed clearly distinct from error. However in Sura 4: 89 it says that if they turn renegades, they have to be seized and slayed. With the present ruling government acting as the spine to the body of islam, one has to be truly convicted of the truth of islam before embracing this religion in Malaysia.

  14. #14 by Godamn Singh on Wednesday, 4 April 2007 - 11:14 pm

    Goddam it! What crap are you talking about??

  15. #15 by ahsia80 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 12:22 am

    He means..”count yourself lucky since “we” didn’t slay you for not embracing Islam”

  16. #16 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 3:06 am

    “She appealed to the Prime Minister …….” but was the PM listening? Was he in Parliament ? Does he care? Will he do anything? Let’s wait and see.

    And the poor hapless wife is probably being “brainwashed, indoctrinated, coerced and made to repent” at the camp. I fear for her well being.

    This is definitely not an isolated case. There will most certainly be many similar cases waiting to come out into the open. There is a need to address this religious issue which has wide ranging ramifications and it is getting more serious by the day.

    Will the politicians and other right thinking people who can do something have the will power to set things right once and for all?

  17. #17 by izrafeil on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 5:16 am

    I am a Muslim reader, my comment is this, in such instances, we should ask this question….

    “What would our prophet Mohamed do in this situation?”

    I am sure the answere will be very different from what some Muslims thought would be and the outcome of the above would have been much different and respecting to all.

  18. #18 by DarkHorse on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 5:21 am

    Oh, wise one! Pray tell.

  19. #19 by sotong on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 7:45 am

    All prophets are great, compassionate, fair and reasonable man.

    In this case, Prophet Mohamed would say ” Give the child back to her mother and leave them alone to find their own way to Allah “.

  20. #20 by WFH on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 7:48 am

    This is a tough one.

    Siti Fatimah, originally born of Indian-Muslim parents indeed IMHO is/(was then?) Muslim. But subsequently under her grandmother’s care, under Hindu upbringing and influence, it is very probable their Hindu practices had had the major spiritual impact on her life, where it counted and mattered. Statutory declaration or deed poll aside, if Hindu practices are to be considered haram for a Muslim, then would not Ravathi (ex-Siti) have been considered to have abandoned Islam, and by having been continuing un-Islamic practices, disqualified herself from her original Islamic faith?

    Of what divine purpose would it serve by placing Ravathi statistically a Muslim when her heart and soul does not belong to that faith? In the final analysis, she will ultimately answer to her Creator. Why make her answerable to other mere humans, enforcing religious laws which are not God’s laws? In the process of persecuting her, her child and bringing grief to her husband, the authorities have just brought forward for her Hell on earth. If Ravathi’s faith and soul is, when the time comes, finally judged as Muslim by our Creator and which she now does not practise, she’ll eventually go to Hell anyway. Why do the authorities insist on giving her 2 Hells, one on this earth, and the other in the afterlife too?

    Seems like there had been “progress” – from fighting over deceased persons’ bodies for burial, to snatching living ones now.

    Pray that good sense will prevail on this one.

    By the way, has anyone any update on Lina Joy? Gone into orbit, has it?

  21. #21 by DiaperHead on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 7:48 am

    Sotong,

    How would you know? You have a direct hot line to God?? May I borrow your phone? I have a few questions for Him.

  22. #22 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 8:29 am

    WFH: “By the way, has anyone any update on Lina Joy? Gone into orbit, has it?”

    Malaysia’s highest court i.e. the Federal Court is in summer recess. Since there is no end to summer in Malaysia, there may not be a decision anytime soon.

    WFH: “Seems like there had been “progress” – from fighting over deceased persons’ bodies for burial, to snatching living ones now.”

    Malaysia is a nation of body snatchers. They snatch you for not believing – or for believing. When they snatch you for not believing they send you to the Rehabilitation Centers where they ‘rehabilitate’ you for a couple of years. You spend time in such centers long enough to acquire the necessary skill of deception i.e. pretend you have been ‘rehabilitated’. Fast learners among the detainees could look forward to spending a year and not more. The slow learners may spend up to two years.

    But that is when they snatch you for not believing. When they snatch you for believing in what they do not believe, they send you to some other centers where they would practice their ‘turning around’ police techniques used on Communist Terrorists of old (CTs for short) a technique popular with the country’s police in mufti (read: Special Branch or thugs who would otherwise be in blue uniform) – who could not find CTs today to practice their techniques on and have to settle for second best i.e. religious deviants.

    WFH: “Of what divine purpose would it serve by placing Ravathi statistically a Muslim when her heart and soul does not belong to that faith?”

    When you are not a Muslim, you may have a heart – certainly not a soul. They see it as their God given duty to give her a soul.

    WFH: “…if Hindu practices are to be considered haram for a Muslim, then would not Ravathi (ex-Siti) have been considered to have abandoned Islam….”

    This is a question on Islamic jurisprudence – very simple and direct hence very complicated. The absence of a hierarchy or priesthood like you find in the Catholic church in Islam has further complicated the matter. This is reflected in decisions of the country’s High Court, Court of Appeal and the country’s highest court i.e. the Federal Court which is in Summer recess. No one wants to make the decision for fear the wrath of God will force them into premature retirement.

  23. #23 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 8:36 am

    YB,

    I note that you referred to newspapers report on comments made by Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah, and in context of those comments, asked in parliament what the government was doing in regards to enhancing national unity and protecting rights of multi-racial communities, which provoked Deputy Minister in PM’s department Joseph Entulu Belaun to respond that all have a place under the “Malaysian Sun” (the phrase used by Raja Nazrin Shah) – the report on page 6 of The Sun of April 5th refers.

    The text of Raja Nazrin’s keynote address at the Young Malaysian’s Roundtable Discussion on National Unity and Development on last Tuesday 3rd was reported in full on page 18 of The Sun of April 15th. It was a good speech – with important points subtly delivered – that is befitting of his pedigree and education as son His HRH Sultan Azlan Shah, one time Lord President of our Supreme Court.

    Excerpts of his speech: (Quote) “In absence of strong binding nationalism, they [ multi-ethnic countries] are prone to polarization and competition along ethno-ethnic lines. The State, which may well start by being a relatively honest broker, can become increasingly pressured to act in ways that favour the interests of one group over another. If the pendulum swings too far in one direction, dissatisfaction and frustrations will result. These can be expressed in ways that range from passive non-cooperation to active opposition and even violent conflict” [leading to fragmentation of states]. “Only by being inclusive and participative can the various sectors of our society be productively engaged. It follows that all forms of extremism, chauvinism, racism and isolationism must be guarded against. They must be soundly sanctioned socially, politically and, if necessary, also legally.” On religion he said, “In recent times, it has become usual to try and place the blame for the disintegrating state of world affairs on the doorstep of religion. This is a misunderstanding of the first order . Religion is not the cause of social dystrophy; it is an antidote. It is a social stabilizer that allows believers to reconnect to values that are fast being lost in today’s ever more materialistic and self-centred world”.

    The question that must invariably be asked is what are “these values that are fast being lost in today’s ever more materialistic and self-centred world” to which believers connect or ought to connect.

    I submit that the more spiritual (used in context of contrast with materialistic) a believer is, the more he should connect with simple universal human values of compassion, kindness, tolerance and empathy’s for others’ position.

    What was done to Siti Fatimah aka Revathi Masoosai – to forcibly prise apart mother and child, husband and wife – all in the name of religion or the law that protect it, is, I agree with you, inhumane and contrary to those ordinary simple universal human values that religion should help us to reconnect rather than alienate!

    Please tell the Prime Minister this. Hearken to what the younger Raja Nazrin Shah could figure out and say. Revathi has appealed to him to instruct the authorities concerned to return the child to the mother. If he could not even use the authority of his position – or cares not sufficiently – to act against religious bigotry, what chance has he got to lead the country and save her from all forms of religious extremism, chauvinism, racism deepening polarization bequeathed by the terrible legacy of TDM’s 22 year rule?

  24. #24 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 8:54 am

    “What was done to Siti Fatimah aka Revathi Masoosai – to forcibly prise apart mother and child, husband and wife – all in the name of religion or the law that protect it, is, I agree with you, inhumane and contrary to those ordinary simple universal human values that religion should help us to reconnect rather than alienate!” Jeffrey

    This argument does not hold water. It is an argument which can be easily countered with an argument of their own which is meaningful and forceful to believers – and that is, they are trying to ‘save’ the baby from the fires of Hell by giving her a soul. How could an act like that be inhumane?

    As head of state or sultan under the state constitution, the sultan is head of the religion of Islam, and Raja Nazrin as such should not be giving that kind of speech. He should be chastised for doing so.

  25. #25 by greenacre on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 8:59 am

    This is not a religious issue. Indeed the very notion of taking someone away against their will “if no crime had been commited against the nations law is not only wrong but also a breach of Malaysian constitution.
    Article 4 of Malaysian Federal constitution clearly states”this constitution is the supreme law of the federation and any law passed after merdeka which is inconsistent with this constitution shall to that extend of inconsistency, be void. Article 5 states…no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty save in accordance with law and Article 8 states…all persons are equalbefore the law and entitled to equal protection of the law and Article 11 states…every person has the right to profess and practise his religion. Now where did Lord Reid go wrong in drafting ?

  26. #26 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 9:19 am

    I disagree. Raja Nazrin Shah from Royal Houshold symbolising head of the religion of Islam should precisely make that statement that Islam, supposedly compassionate, is not meant to be practised this way. We’re dealing with extremists here. They may from their point of view be doing it to ‘save’ the baby from the fires of Hell by giving her a soul. (A lot of things are done in name of religion including crashing the planes into the Twin Towers etc). To them it might even be humane but does this means it is justified and that the rest of us or even moderate muslims just stand by and not resist and challenge such acts and let the country which we all have a stake plunge also into the hell and fires of bigotry? Is this Iran?

  27. #27 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 9:42 am

    “Raja Nazrin Shah from Royal Houshold symbolising head of the religion of Islam should precisely make that statement …” Jeffrey

    The Malay ruler as head of state is also head of the religion of Islam – not according to me or anyone else but according to the state constitution. How could you then, constitutionally speaking, reconcile his role as head of the Islamic religion with his approach? The Conference of Rulers should rule on this. At the very minimum, he should be chastised for taking any stand that could be seen as deviating from his constitutional role as head of the religion of Islam – and as a Malay ruler and head of the religion of Islam in his state, his constitutional role is to protect and propagate the spread of the religion.

    “They may from their point of view be doing it to ‘save’ the baby from the fires of Hell by giving her a soul. (A lot of things are done in name of religion including crashing the planes into the Twin Towers etc). To them it might even be humane…”

    Yes, but let us not forget the ethnic cleansing and genocide carried by Christians in the name of Christianity over a period of hundreds of years in places like South America, Asia and Africa which claimed millions of lives. The Twin Towers took some 3,000 lives but the U.S. government has been responsible for the deaths of more than 3,000 lives of its own citizens.

  28. #28 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 9:47 am

    To: Greenacre

    You appear to favor a selective approach to constitutional issues.

    You may want to look at the rest of Art. 11 that you quoted, with special attention to sub-clause (4) of that Article.

  29. #29 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 9:50 am

    First of all did the Conference of Rulers or any Ruler as head of Islam tell them they could do such a thing? Another thing is that we should oppose all rerligious bogotry whether carried out in name of Christianisty or Islam and the iniquities carried out under banner of former is no justification for competition by the latter.

  30. #30 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 10:02 am

    Don’t get me wrong. I feel that it is important that we put issues in their proper context.

    What is happening with Islam today, its apparent or real intolerance of any other systems of religious beliefs, has happened with Christianity. Millions of lives have been lost in the name of religion.

    This morning President Bush has characterized the war in Iraq as “pure evil” and not a civil war.

  31. #31 by azk on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 10:07 am

    Report to UN

  32. #32 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 10:10 am

    This man with an SAT score of 1,201 (average), a graduate of Yale in business with an MBA, sees himself as God sent to fight evil, and that his presidency, not a coincidence, is timed to coincide with the surge of Islamic religious fundamentalism.

    He sees himself as modern day crusader.

  33. #33 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 10:45 am

    Undergrad2 – For a man who does not permit God in politics, you’re very illuminating on this very subject of God and politics!

    Religion is an emotive issue. Each person will interpret his life experiences against the spectrum of his experiences. This is why the judges made the decisions as they did…because where the law is less than clear, then judges ‘make’ laws or elucidate the law in accordance with their sense of justice, understanding of the place of law in the context of their social environment etc… This is why the laws change as precedents modify and clarify situations.

    The best bet for certainty is still clearer statutes. This is why to forestall future confusion and civil strife, the laws with respect to the constitutionality of the issues raised here may have to be amended to ensure that secularism is the undisputed foundation on which our constitution rests.

    Meanwhile, we can argue till the cows come home. And if our brilliant judges have less than some bright sparks in their grey matter to know the difference, we are doomed till we are rescued by appropriate constitutional amendments.

    Do we expect that from Pak Lah? Forget about this inconsequential man who neither bark nor bite!

    This is why I think our best hope for some of these changes must be a change of the ruling government. PKR/DAP must be bold enough to make some clear changes that will contribute to a harmonious inter-faith, multi-ethnic community that share common goals and seek to forge a common destiny for a better country.

    Any hope with BN? Gone, gone, gone. We must now trust ONLY DAP/PKR to deliver.

  34. #34 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 11:10 am

    “The best bet for certainty is still clearer statutes. This is why to forestall future confusion and civil strife, the laws with respect to the constitutionality of the issues raised here may have to be amended to ensure that secularism is the undisputed foundation on which our constitution rests.” HORNBILL

    When common law turns out to be not as common as we would have liked it to be, we turn to the country’s highest legislative body for the answers – they in turn give us the legislation necessary called statutes, not necessarily a product of wisdom. But alas statutes lend themselves to different interpretations as the draftsman is unable to foresee every conceivable situation that affects Man in his relations with Man.

    But judging with the highest legislative body’s consistent preoccupation with racial slurs, further amendments of the law may lead to more problems rather than solutions.

  35. #35 by k1980 on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 11:23 am

    Yesterday we had Everest climber M Moorthy and Rayappan, today we have Subashini, Saravanan, Reevathi and Suresh… tomorrow? Samy and Veloo and Subra and…? When will all this nonsense ends?

  36. #36 by Jonny on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 11:31 am

    REDUCE THE MAJORITY!

  37. #37 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 11:41 am

    k1980 Says:
    April 5th, 2007 at 11:23 am
    ….”When will all this nonsense ends?”

    When BN is crushed in the GE and DAP/ PKR takes over to restore pride, honour, integrity and justice in the country.

  38. #38 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 12:51 pm

    Now to make it more complicated, Revathi’s mother i.e. the 15 months old’s grandma, now converts the child to Islam……… Can the child now be returned to her Hindu parents or to any non-Muslim?

  39. #39 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 12:53 pm

    We need Solomon’s justice here but heck! Solomon was a Jew.

  40. #40 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 1:24 pm

    “On March 26, Suresh was told his daughter, now 15 months old, was taken away by a group of people which consisted of a policeman, a lawyer and Revathi’s mother.”

    Now on whose orders and under what authority did these people come and take away the baby?

    “She is married to Suresh a/l Veerappan, a Malaysian Indian Hindu on 10 March 2004, against her family’s opposition.”

    Perhaps Revathi’s mother is just seeking revenge and is using religion as the means.

    Revathi’s parents did not raise her up. This was left to her gandma. All these years her parents were not concerned she was being brought up a Hindu. Now that she’s grown up and married, there is now a big problem.

    There’s more that meets the eye I think and religion is perhaps being used to settle scores. Right minded Muslims should speak up and not remain silent. So too must Hindu and other religious bodies. Surely, Hindus have rights too just like Muslims.

    Someone must quickly look into the well being of Revathi at the Religion Rehabilitation Camp. How are such camps managed? That these camps exist suggests that there are many Muslim apostates.

    What has Shahrizat and Chew May Fun have to say about this?

  41. #41 by teohyp on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 1:47 pm

    sheriff singh Says:

    April 5th, 2007 at 3:06 am
    “She appealed to the Prime Minister …….” but was the PM listening? Was he in Parliament ? Does he care? Will he do anything? Let’s wait and see.

    well, if this issue has got some connection with a certain nasi kandar outlet in say… australia, then he might respond…

  42. #42 by HJ Angus on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 2:52 pm

    I think such rehab camps would not pass muster with the UN Declaration on Human Rights and also goes against basic freedom of religion.

    The other aspect is that other Malaysians have to pay for the costs of such programmes and that can be substantial.

    http://malaysiawatch.blogspot.com/2005/08/price-of-righteousness.html

  43. #43 by DiaperHead on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 8:07 pm

    “There’s more that meets the eye.” Sheriff the SIngh

    Hey, Singh, of course there is more than meets the eye. There is the Islamic religious state enactment regulating this matter.

    “I think and religion is perhaps being used to settle scores. Right minded Muslims should speak up and not remain silent.”

    Brilliant idea – except for the fact that non-Malays and non-Muslims have been at it for many years now especially since the time of Siti Norhaliza in 1999 who has since fled to Australia together with her Catholic Indian boyfriend.

    “So too must Hindu and other religious bodies. Surely, Hindus have rights too just like Muslims.”

    Oh yes, Hindus and Singhs have rights too and are clearly written in the Constitution of 1957. The issue here is the religion of a minor which legally follows that of the parents until he reaches the age of majority. Upon reaching the age of majority he or she can embrace Guru Nanak – but not before.

    In this case, it involves Islam and Prophet Muhammad and not Guru Nanak which makes it a bit more complicated. If you can read, then I suggest you read Article 11 of the Constitution and do so without drinking your cow’s milk with ginger.

  44. #44 by DiaperHead on Thursday, 5 April 2007 - 8:12 pm

    Whenever it involves Islam which is the official religion of the federation, it gives power to the state to intervene.

  45. #45 by sheriff singh on Friday, 6 April 2007 - 3:00 am

    Ah DiaperHead, off tangent again as usual. All muddled up.

    Siti Nurhaliza’s husband Dato K would be very surprised to learn that his wife had eloped with a Catholic Indian gent and is happily living in Australia since 1999. Just WHO did he marry last year?

    And the non-Islamic religious bodies would do well to SPEAK UP instead of keeping quiet like good, submissive little boys.

    And Revathi’s Muslim parents are laughing all the way as they managed to perhaps settle some personal scores using the Islamic authorities. Why maybe they could even convert their 15 month old grand-daughter to Islam when the child should perhaps follow its parents’ religion, Hinduism, as you say?

    And so on. Savvy?

    You have solutions DiaperHead?

    P/s got your photo which I would like to share with everyone if you don’t mind?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/angrypete/104672029/

    I think enough sniffing already. Peace bro.

  46. #46 by DiaperHead on Friday, 6 April 2007 - 4:29 am

    Hey Singh! DiaperHead refers to you!

    Her name is supposed to be Nur’aishah Bokhari lah stupid.

  47. #47 by Count Dracula on Friday, 6 April 2007 - 8:45 am

    “I think enough sniffing already. Peace bro.” sheriff singh

    You’ve been sniffing glue?? No more cows milk with ginger?!

  48. #48 by Billy on Saturday, 7 April 2007 - 7:10 am

    The Indians of the Hindu faith are the ones most affected by UMNO’s “persecution” and yet, I just simply cannot understand that despite the many temples demolished and body snatchings of husbands and children, the Indians of Machap still siding with the BN by getting into a physical confrontation with DAP. Can’t they even see this as one golden opportunity for them to throw these losers out, once and for all. I guess these Indians do not worship their own god but the earthly one, Samy.

  49. #49 by Godamn Singh on Saturday, 7 April 2007 - 7:59 am

    My girlfriend has had to write to the Prime Minister of India for help to stop the Malaysian government from destroying Hindu temples. That is a desperate move by an Indian Malaysian who knows of no other loyalty except to the country of her birth. What choice has she got??

    The Indians of Machap were promised in ways that no other party could. Indians number fewer than the Chinese and their position is different. So why not vote for the party which does??

    Loyalty has a price and that is a fact that cannot be denied.

  50. #50 by undergrad2 on Saturday, 7 April 2007 - 9:37 pm

    “I just simply cannot understand that despite the many temples demolished and body snatchings of husbands and children, the Indians of Machap still siding with the BN by getting into a physical confrontation with DAP.” Billy

    Correction. A few Indian individuals apparently constituents of Machap and apparently non-supporters of BN, involved in a fracas with a few Individuals from MIC.

    Has any Hindu temple in the constituency been destroyed?

    This state by-election is about local issues.

  51. #51 by Not spoon fed on Saturday, 7 April 2007 - 10:41 pm

    Non muslim are just vulnerable in this country. It is the Malaysians that voted the UMNOputras. You would see more to come in the future.

  52. #52 by Not spoon fed on Saturday, 7 April 2007 - 10:45 pm

    This Semi Value is just quiet. Salary from UMNO is better. This is not his problem.

  53. #53 by Not spoon fed on Saturday, 7 April 2007 - 10:47 pm

    You would see Macap would still be lost to MCA. This is because MCA is using development and they are capable to “voice out” when needed.

    Yes, this issue must be raised up loud to the people of Macap especially the non muslim.

You must be logged in to post a comment.