Jun

20

Here’s Sdr Badrol Hisham’s latest email to me on Islam and the freedom of expression:

Dear Mr. Jonson,

I’m quite surprised to note that you still respect Dato’ Ahmad Ismail rights to say that non-Malays in Malaysia are “kaum pendatang”. I’m just wonders if somebody insulting your mother, will you respect their rights to say or express it? Don’t you have any dignity to defend of?

If the Malays are free to insult the non-Malays and vice versa, there will be no harmonious relation among different races in our country and similarly if the Muslims are free to insult other religions and vice versa, there will be no better understanding between different religions in our country. Freedom must be come with responsibility.

The main topic of our discussions is freedom of speech and expression. I don’t know why you keep harping on the issue of qualified people. Anyway, I’d like to recap what Y.B. Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang had said recently, “When talking about aerospace, you ask somebody from NASA, not someone in Somalia”. If you still don’t understand, I’ve no idea how else can I explain to you.

You should not compare Islam with Christianity or any other philosophy. Islam is a complete and perfect religion which was revealed by God Almighty to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) 1,400 years ago for all mankind. In Islam, we are encouraged to read the holy book Koran, understand and practised it with the guidance from Hadis, Ijtimak Ulamak and Qias. The question is whether we (the Muslims) follow it or not.

Some Muslims have deviant from Islamic teaching either by their act, view, thinking, approach, etc. So, I don’t see any need to comment to the so called progressive Islamic thinker that you mentioned in your blog.

I’ve told you clearly that the reason I asked you to remove my emails from your blog is because I’m afraid that some party will only use it to attack and degrade Islam. My afraid seems to be correct.

Anyway, I hope that one day you will be able to find the TRUTH in your life.

For Ms. Alice, I’ve full confidence in my belief and can take any amount of criticism. However, I can’t tolerate anybody who insult or discredit my religion.

Thank you for your understanding.

Regards,
Badrol Hisham
Kuala Lumpur

P/S: Mr Jonson, you can post this last email from me in your blog.

By the way, when I said justice for the Chinese and the Muslims, it is only as reference to the Dato’ Ahmad Ismail and Sisters In Islam cases. Sorry to confuse you. Justice is for all. So does Islam. God bless you.

Res ipsa loquitur.

P.S. Please read this post in the context of the previous postings: Engaging a Muslim on Islam & the Freedom of Expression and Engaging a Muslim on Islam & the Freedom of Expression 2

Jun

15

My latest statement to the media:

Trend of Deaths in Police Custody Worrying

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) is gravely concerned with the trend of deaths in police custody. Not only are the deaths increasingly frequent but they also seem to be happening only to suspects from a particular racial community.

Although the police have asked the public not to speculate on the latest death in custody of A. Ganana Prakasom, KEADILAN hopes that both the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Home Affairs will seriously look into this matter before it becomes a full-blown racial issue in our country, which is already divided along racial lines.

Indeed, in light of the Prime Minister’s attempts to promote the concept of One Malaysia, the authorities must ensure that no community, regardless of race, religion, gender or economic status, is sidelined or ill-treated.

Moreover, the fact that most, if not all, of the deaths in police custody are happening to Indian Malaysians reflect the reality that they have not been able to advance either socially or economically.

The federal government must recognise that this is not only an issue of crime or law and order, but also one that requires an urgent government policy to assist the Indian community in Malaysia to overcome the social and economic realities faced by them.

If the Umno-Barisan Nasional government is serious about the people being the first priority, they should take real steps to resolve this matter holistically and stop trying to cover-up the real causes of these deaths in custody.

Jun

15

The following is my statement released to the media after the KEADILAN Extraordinary National Congress on Saturday, 13 June 2009:

Overwhelming Vote for Change and Democracy

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) held its Extraordinary National Congress today, with the sole agenda of amending the Party Constitution to enhance democracy and institutionalise progressive changes in the Party.

After almost four and a half hours of lively debate, including representatives from all States, Angkatan Muda Keadilan (the Youth Wing) and Wanita Keadilan (the Women’s Wing), the delegates of the said Congress voted overwhelmingly in favour of change and democracy.

Despite including some interesting and controversial proposed amendments, such as direct elections for divisional and central leadership positions, change of terminology for divisions and branches (changed from “Bahagian” to “Cabang”, and “Cawangan” to “Ranting”), implementation of a policy of 30% involvement of women in all levels of the Party’s leadership, and reduction of the age limit of the Youth Wing to 35, the delegates voted in favour of the numerous amendments en bloc.

After an emotional vote-counting process, the votes in favour of reforms numbered 941, with 103 against and 9 abstentions. Without a doubt, the delegates were positively passionate about the motion tabled by the Supreme Council (now known as “the Central Leadership Council”).

In relation to the total delegates that registered for and attended the said Congress (1,064), the votes in favour was a resounding majority of 88%, which means the proposed amendments were duly approved pursuant to Article 31.1 of the Party’s Constitution that requires a minimum two-thirds majority to amend the Party Constitution.

With the clear and unmistakable support shown in this Congress, the KEADILAN leadership will be pushing ahead to further develop and strengthen the Party, in light of the possibility that State elections will be held in Perak and Sarawak in the near future. More importantly, the top leadership is dedicated to reforms both within the Party and Malaysia as a whole.

Jun

11

Here’s Sdr BH’s [author's name removed] reply to my email response to him:

[Email removed upon the request of the author.]

Well, instead of just sending emails back and forth, I think it’s better for us to discuss openly about this concept of qualified freedom of speech.

I may not agree with Dato’ Ahmad Ismail calling non-Malays “kaum pendatang”, but I respect his right to say it. Similarly, he ought to respect my right to call him a bigot and a racist.

No matter how difficult it is to accept what others have to say, we must always respect their right to say it. We don’t have to respect the person, the organisation or even their point of view, we just have to respect their right to express it. As Voltaire, a French philosopher, once said, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”

Similarly, Sdr BH [author's name removed], I do not agree with what you’re saying but I’m more than happy to publish what you’ve got to say on my blog.

On another point, I think we should really question the restrictions on who “qualifies” to study, analyse and discuss principles of religions, or philosophies for that matter. Are religious principles sacrosanct and “lay people” should be prohibited from espousing their views about them? If that is so, then philosophical principles ought not be discussed by any “lay people” except so-called qualified philosophers, too.

I’m sorry but this reminds me too much of the Roman Catholic Church that had a monopoly on God in the middle ages. In those days, lay people were not able to read the scriptures and think for themselves what those scriptures meant. Indeed, they had to literally buy penance from priests. Thankfully, there were reformists like Martin Luther that reformed Christianity.

Similarly, there was a progressive Islamic thinker by the name of Mahmoud Mohamed Taha that took a different approach towards Islam. Unfortunately, he was executed by the Sudanese government for heresy. For a living example of a progressive Islamic thinker, google Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im (or just click on his name to read the entry on Wikipedia).

By the way, justice is for all, and I don’t think there’s a need to specify any race or religion.

Jun

11

I received the following email in response to my statement on PAS’ resolution on Sisters In Islam:

[Email removed upon the request of the author.]

This was my response:

Dear Sdr BH [author's name removed],

Thank you for sharing your views with me.

I believe you are a good and reasonable man, that’s why you bother to engage me on this issue.

Frankly, I find it hard to believe that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, asked his followers to stop people from discussing Islamic teachings unless they are “qualified”.

Indeed, I find the teachings of Islam very sensible and just. Moreover, I believe the concept of ijtihad encourages us to study the religious teachings and apply them accordingly in the situations that we find ourselves in.

Well, for what it’s worth, I respect your right to your point of view, and I hope all of us can do the same for others.

In any case, we are all one. Tawheed, isn’t it?

Thanks again.

Salam,
Jonson

Your comments are most welcome…

Jun

10

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) will be having an Extraordinary National Congress this Saturday, 13 June 2009, to amend the Party Constitution. This is the culmination of months of preparations and debates about the constitutional amendments. Of course, although the process started sometime back in 2008, the Party was distracted by several by-elections along the way. Indeed, the date of the said Congress was postponed on a few occasions.

The most significant change to be introduced in the constitutional amendments will be the direct elections of Party leaders by all members, regardless of whether they are divisional or national leaders. Not only will this change enhance the practice of democracy in KEADILAN, but it will also act as a deterrent to money politics, which is quite rampant in many Malaysian political parties that use a delegates election system. In addition, the President’s eligibility to hold office will be limited to three terms or nine years only.

Apart from that, another significant change is the reduction of the age limit of youth wing members to 35, from the current age of 40. This, hopefully, will be followed with changes in the youth wing to encourage more capable young men and women to participate in the leadership of the wing and also involve more of them in the decision-making processes. Notably, the youth wing of KEADILAN includes both young men and young women, unlike several other Malaysian political parties that prefer to segregate their male and female youth members.

On that note, it should be highlighted that the KEADILAN Supreme Council will also be introducing an amendment to provide for the implementation of the Party’s resolution to have more women leaders involved in the Party’s leadership. In particular, the amendment will see women holding at least 30% of all positions in all levels of the Party’s leadership and decision-making bodies. This reflects the Party’s concern for gender balance as well as its recognition of the significant contribution of women in the political sphere. Moreover, it is in accordance with one of the resolutions passed by the Party’s National Congress a couple of years ago.

In addition to the above, several other interesting changes will be proposed, including changes to the Malay terms used to refer to divisions and branches. Instead of “bahagian” and “cawangan”, the terms “cabang” and “ranting” will be used. This proposed amendment, although only touching on terminology, has sparked considerable debates, albeit light-hearted ones.

For more information, read the articles on this issue in the following news sites:
- Malaysiakini
- The Malaysian Insider
- The Nut Graph.

Jun

8

It is rather unfortunate that Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) resolved in their recent muktamar to call for the National Fatwa Council to ban Sisters In Islam. Anyway, here’s my official statement in response to the said PAS resolution:

Respect Rights to Freedom of Expression and Association

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) does not agree with the resolution of its coalition partner, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), at its recent party conference calling for the National Fatwa Council to declare the non-governmental organisation, Sisters in Islam (SIS), as haram (forbidden) if its activities is found to be contrary to Islamic teachings and principles.

KEADILAN reiterates its respect for the rights to freedom of expression and association, both of which are fundamental liberties enshrined in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, as well as internationally recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As such, they ought to protected, if not promoted, despite diverging views on Islamic teachings and Syariah in Malaysia.

The rights to freedom of association and expression are fundamental human rights that are not only essential for human dignity but also a progressive and democratic society. Any differences in views ought to be tolerated and/or debated, rather than calling for a ban on the organisation that espouses different opinions.

Moreover, religion or religious views are very personal matters, and they ought not be strictly regulated by the authorities. Instead, every individual ought to study and analyse their own beliefs, which leads to a better understanding of their own religions, if not a stronger faith in their own beliefs.

Last but not least, Malaysia is a pluralistic society – we need to accept that it is natural to have differing views and opinions between religions and cultures and also within the same religions and cultures. KEADILAN believes that the goal for all Malaysians should be a progressive and democratic society, where diverse views are tolerated and debated; not a regressive and undemocratic society where diversity is condemned and rejected.

May

14

If you missed Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s opening speech at the DAP Forum entitled “From May 13 to 1Malaysia” yesterday, click on Youtube videos below to watch:
Anwar Ibrahim - From May 13 to 1Malaysia (Part 1)
Anwar Ibrahim - From May 13 to 1Malaysia (Part 2)

By the way, these videos are courtesy of MediaRakyat, who have done a fantastic job documenting significant speeches and important events throughout the country. Do check out the website.

May

13

Posting here my letter to the Editor of Malaysiakini, which was sent yesterday but as yet unpublished:

Dear Editor,

I am writing with reference to the article entitled “MCA, Gerakan want fresh polls” that was published on Malaysiakini today.

It is refreshing to hear some leaders from Barisan Nasional making sense in their statements for a change. Indeed, what they have said actually reflects general opinion that there should be fresh State elections in Perak.

Then again, perhaps these BN leaders are simply weary of the never-ending political imbroglio that seems to be quickly degenerating into a farce. Perhaps they are beginning to realise that something needs to be done desperately before the farce turns Malaysia into a joke in the international community.

I note that the sentiments reported in that article are only the personal views of the Deputy President of MCA and the Secretary-General of Gerakan. What are the parties’ official positions on the Perak issue?

One really wonders whether the leaders of BN component parties have the moral fibre to make their official views public even if they contradict those of the Prime Minister or Umno.

Indeed, I recall that the MCA President was once notoriously outspoken before he became President and a full minister in the cabinet. Perhaps he has too much at stake to publicly voice an opinion contrary to his political ‘big brother’. Similarly, what about the President of Gerakan? Is he prepared to make a public stand on the matter?

The question begging to be asked here is whether the component parties of Barisan Nasional are actually equal partners in government or are they simply junior partners that have to kowtow to the senior partner, Umno.

For the sake of Perak and Malaysia as a whole, I certainly hope that the leaders of all BN component parties will make a stand for the rakyat, speak up and do the right thing; i.e. table and support a motion at the next BN meeting for fresh State elections in Perak to resolve the constitutional stalemate once and for all.

May

9

Here’s my comment on new PM Najib’s latest “show of compassion”:

Barely a day after Najib’s naked show of contempt for democracy and the people of Perak in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, he has yesterday further insulted the intelligence of Malaysians by releasing ISA detainees and those arrested in recent days, thinking that he will be seen as the good guy.

Who doesn’t remember that the new Prime Minister himself was the one who orchestrated the cross-over of a few recalcitrant elected representatives and sparked off this political and constitutional mess in Perak?

And up to yesterday, his silence in respect of the actions of the Perak State Secretary and the police was deafening. As we all know, silence is acquiescence; that is, Najib actually condones the meddling by the State Secretary and the crackdown by the police, if not ordered it.

Alas, his decision to release the detainees, both ISA and otherwise, was too little and far too late.

Why stop at 13 detainees? Don’t the other detainees have feelings or families? Don’t they deserve dignity like the rest of us? Don’t they have the right to fair trials and be presumed innocent until proven guilty?

Najib’s far too late because a moral crime has already been perpetrated against these people. They have already been deprived of their freedom for no good or justifiable cause. Precious moments of their lives have been robbed forever.

This may be the Prime Minister’s way of making amends but are the people supposed to be grateful for such small mercies when he has obviously shown his contempt for them and their human rights?

The specific release of the Hindraf trio also begs the question whether Najib thought now would be a convenient time to subtly avoid a by-election in Selangor.

Whatever it is, the people of Perak, no, the people of Malaysia will hold Najib Abdul Razak solely responsible for dragging our nation through the mud in the international arena; and, for grossly violating the sacred doctrine of separation of powers, thereby reducing our beloved country to a pariah state.


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