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Malaysia bans book on moderate Islam


Lala81
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Another indication on how electoral needs are pushing malaysia slowly towards a more non-tolerant society.

This is a book on how Islam can work in a constitutional democracy. Written and contributed by academics and scholars on the topic with the foreword by Badawi.

 

 

http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/malaysia-bans-book-foreword-former-pm

 

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR — A book on Islamic law in Malaysia, which contains a foreword by a former prime minister and later launched by a senior Member of Parliament (MP) from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, is among the books banned by the Home Ministry, citing “prejudicial to public order”.

Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is known for his expertise on Islam, had written the foreword to the book, Breaking the Silence: Voices of Moderation – Islam in a Constitutional Democracy, published by the Group of 25 (G25).

 

The Malaysian moderate group is made up of Malay former high-ranking civil servants who have spoken out on conflicts between syariah and civil laws, and called for reforms to how religious authorities function.

The book, which had been on store shelves for about two years, was launched by BN MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in 2015, but was banned by the Home Ministry on June 14.

The ban on the book — which was published in Singapore — was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, noting that printing or possessing the book was “likely to be prejudicial to public order” and “likely to alarm public opinion”.

The ban by the ministry, which Mr Abdullah himself used to helm, has perplexed G25 members, who are now seeking a judicial review to challenge the ban.

“Abdullah would not have written a foreword to a book or be at all involved in any work that could be deemed prejudicial to public order,” G25 member Zainuddin Abdul Bahri told The Malaysian Insight.

“(The ministry) also never indicated which parts of the book they found offensive.”

The book contains 21 essays exploring the intersection between Islam, shariah law, the constitution and politics in Malaysia’s plural society.

The essays are penned by some of Malaysia’s most renowned academics and scholars, such as Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi, Dr Maszlee Malik, Associate Professor Azmi Sharom, Dr Syed Faris Alatas, Dr Chandra Muzaffar and Ms Zainah Anwar.

In his foreword, Mr Abdullah — Prime Minister Najib Razak’s predecessor — said the book contained articles about Islam within a constitutional democracy and that it sheds light on the relationship between the religion and the federal constitution.

“The members of G25 are particularly concerned about recent developments pertaining to the administration of shariah laws in the country,” he said.

“The long-standing conflicts between the civil and shariah courts reflect a lack of clarity and understanding on the place of Islam within our constitutional democracy, and has led to disputes and conflicts in and outside the courts.”

These disputes have confused both Muslims and non-Muslims and have led to questions on the limits of the shariah law’s jurisdiction and how religious authorities enforce them, Mr Abdullah noted.

“If left unresolved, these disputes may well affect peace and harmony in our multiracial and multi-religious country.”

Mr Abdullah also said he had worked closely with many of G25’s members while he was in government and that they had “served the nation with distinction”.

“I share the hope of my friends in G25 that the publication will further encourage an informed and rational dialogue on the ways that Islam is used as a source of public law and policy in multiracial and multi-religious Malaysia, yet within the letter and spirit of the constitution.”

Malaysia routinely bans books, movies and songs that may contain sensitive material regarding religion or sex, but critics say the government’s clampdown on anything deemed un-Islamic has accelerated in recent times as Mr Najib’s ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno) seeks to appeal to its Muslim Malay base amid speculation elections could be called in the coming months.

Since June, the Home ministry has banned four more books on Islam on grounds that they could “likely be prejudicial to public order and interest” and “likely to alarm public opinion”.

They include two volumes of essays published by the intellectual movement Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) titled Wacana Pemikiran Reformis (Jilid I) (A Discourse on Reformist Thought, volume I) and Wacana Pemikiran Reformis (Jilid II) (A Discourse on Reformist Thought, volume II).

Also banned was the latest book by prolific Malay author and academic Dr Mohd Faizal Musa, or known as Faizal Tehrani, titled “AKU _______, MAKA AKU ADA! (I ___, therefore I exist).

The ministry has also banned the Bahasa Malaysia and English versions of a book by Turkish author Mustafa Akyol titled Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

 

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Another indication on how electoral needs are pushing malaysia slowly towards a more non-tolerant society.

This is a book on how Islam can work in a constitutional democracy. Written and contributed by academics and scholars on the topic with the foreword by Badawi.

 

 

http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/malaysia-bans-book-foreword-former-pm

My fren Jibby knows what he is doing.

 

Please do not question his judgement.

 

Please support him just like how I do.

 

 

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My fren Jibby knows what he is doing.

 

Please do not question his judgement.

 

Please support him just like how I do.

 

 

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he threatened NBC just yesterday. The broadcaster that The Apprentice was on.

 

Think there is a contagious disease known as Trumpritis infecting a lot of people.   [laugh] No known cure yet.  

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he threatened NBC just yesterday. The broadcaster that The Apprentice was on.

See he is not bias.

 

None of this you carried my show so

 

I won't close you down nonsense.

 

Donny is a fair man. Tough but fair.

 

 

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See he is not bias.

 

None of this you carried my show so

 

I won't close you down nonsense.

 

Donny is a fair man. Tough but fair.

 

 

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some illiterate electoral are easily pushed by dance parties. no beer fest doesn't mean not intoxicated. DJ wants to stay as DJ needs to sayang them. Crowds exhibited spoil child syndromes if these non-alcoholic parties are not given their way.   Eh salah, suppose to be in beerfest thread.. [laugh]

 

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(edited)

This maybe his political bid to increase the sultan's power. But fine speech by the Johor Sultan.

 

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/398389

 

 

Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has spoken out against various forbidden practices on grounds of religion to the point of impracticality, pointing out that it would become impossible to live in a community.

He raised this matter when elaborating on a Muslims-only laundrette, which had refused to serve non-Muslim customers on grounds of "purity".

"Think for yourselves. What about seats in public places that may have been licked by dogs or pillows and blankets in hotels that have come in contact with najis (unclean things).

"This will never end. If everything is to be forbidden, then my advice is - it will be better to live alone in a cave instead of living in a community," Sultan Ibrahim said in his speech at the 17th Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) convocation in Batu Pahat yesterday.

A video of the speech was uploaded on Sultan Ibrahim's official Facebook page.

Likewise, Sultan Ibrahim said, ringgit notes may have also come in contact with pork or liquor sellers.

"Will the government then have to produce Muslim-friendly money?" he asked.

Touching on the Muslims-only laundrette, on which he had ordered that the controversial policy be do away with, Sultan Ibrahim said such a practice would serve to divide the people.

 

"As head of religion, it is my duty to maintain the peace and unity among the multi-racial people in this state.

"Therefore, whatever that I feel will lead to division, there will be immediate action," he said.

He added that such a practice was "extreme", and went on to emphasise that Islam upheld harmony and doing good, even to people who are not of the same religion.

"This narrow mindset is not the way of Muslims in Johor," he said.


Read more at https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/398389#XkJ35AqBmil4Rshj.99

 

Edited by Lala81
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As an Atheist, it is indeed difficult to understand people with extreme belief and subject oneself to isolation from others.

 

there are basically 2 types of peopme that pose danger to society. 1st that want everyone to follow them otherwise you are opposition. 2nd tyoe is those insisting they are the only right one and therefore must influence other to be line them.

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This maybe his political bid to increase the sultan's power. But fine speech by the Johor Sultan.

 

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/398389

It is quite a surprise that he delivered the speech during an university convocation, but, i guess he has to take this opportunity to address an issue!

What have the politicians done? Nothing! They only take car of their own pockets! Fortunately, the Sultan and his children voice out and they have the power to do so. He is advocating Bangsa Johor, and keep telling the people what the Chinese have contributed to the nation and that Chinese are not "foreigners"! 

Edited by Fitvip
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(edited)

It is quite a surprise that he delivered the speech during an university convocation, but, i guess he has to take this opportunity to address an issue!

What have the politicians done? Nothing! They only take car of their own pockets! Fortunately, the Sultan and his children voice out and they have the power to do so. He is advocating Bangsa Johor, and keep telling the people what the Chinese have contributed to the nation and that Chinese are not "foreigners"! 

 

Sorry. My stats are wrong. johor's population 30% is chinese.

Only bettered in terms of percentage by penang, 41% and KL which is 38%.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_Chinese#By_state_.26_territory

Edited by Lala81
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