If you're anything like me, you must have wondered why the UMNO government is overzealously portraying itself as one that upholds Islamic values.After all, UMNO is rife with corruption and debauchery and is notoriously avaricious and profligate (yes, I really couldn't resist all those big words that so aptly describe UMNO).
Yet, UMNO falls over itself to cane those who fall short of Islamic rules.
Interestingly, the victims of their suddenly acquired religious zeal have all been women, and they have been and will be caned for having extramarital sex and drinking beer, respectively.
Now I am aware that most religions frown on these less-than-immaculate activities.
But to be caned for these is a bit extreme, methinks. For one, I believe that these are personal issues to be resolved by the individual, and neither the business of any religious body nor the State.
It is even more shocking perhaps, that it is not PAS (the Islamic party of Malaysia) who is calling for these punishments to be meted out, but UMNO, the organisation that has gained a reputation for elevating those two aforementioned activities into an artform.
Did UMNO suddenly turn religious?
That is about as possible as a zebra losing its stripes. Or Rosmah becoming a submissive wife. But I digress.
I think this whole matter is about Anwar Ibrahim. These shenanigans have been orchestrated since they were hankering to put him behind bars again.
It's a wild shot, but I think UMNO is willing to risk a reputation for being religious fanatics in order to frame Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy, which is probably the worst crime any Muslim can think of.
Not for the first time, it makes me wonder how low they could stoop.
It's already so low that I've lost my bearings.
8 comments:
It has got nothing to do with religion. As Shaikh Saleem put it so clearly (see The Malaysian Insider 21 Feb), it is all about UMNO's politics.
BTW, you may like this
National priorities in Malghanistan : Beer, panties and rotan
http://planetofthemonyets.blogspot.com/2010/02/national-priorities-in-malghanistan.html
Indeed, what's with the caning? And why weren't the 'other half' of the equation also caned? Were they having sex with themselves?! Surely, it is as wrong for a married woman to have sex with someone other than her husband, as it is to have sex with a married woman?!
So why haven't the MEN been caned, I ask you?
Even with prostitution, I have asked the same question: why is it that only the woman is charged? Why are the men simply allowed to escape with their tails and other appendages, between their legs?!
This simply reeks of sexism of the worst kind!
Well, it's the age-old disease called "hypocrisy". Two thousand years ago, Jesus diagnosed it:
"How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Luke 6:42
"Or Rosmah becoming a submissive wife."
You mean submissive PM? ;)
But I wholeheartedly agree with you. This caning surely stinks of political smell. Like I commented on Ktemoc's blog, Kartika was meant to be the first woman in this country to be caned. Now were these canings, which apparently took place days before they were even made known to the public, cooked up by certain authorities so that Kartika's caning could later be justified and eased into people's minds without much uproar?
And I agree with Pat. Why is it only one party being punished when both parties need each other for the transaction?
Anyways, I still think that the caning didn't take place.
Then again, ppl can argue, how much do we know about Islam/Quran to comment? It works both ways
Can I cane you, Cranky... for being too clever for your own good? Just to be fair I'll let you cane me for always flirting with you ;-)
No my dear. The message is to the Sultan of Pahang. He or his Raja Muda is due to meet Kartika sometime next week. The delay in caning her is rather sinister. Who is really objecting to it that it has been delayed so long?
After all UMNO, as you suggest, would appear to be more religiously inclined if Kartika's caning had happened. Alternatively, had she acquiesced and following Najib's advice, appealed, UMNO would have come off smelling roses. I suppose between being seen as a government that supports caning and a government that is seen to be compassionate enough, the latter would be preferred. But Kartika denied them the opportunity. So, they want to take it out on her. But someone stopped them. Who??? The Royalty?
Now the Pahang Royalty want to meet up with Kartika and that meeting could set a precedent that could undermine the UMNO government paid Ulama's authority. Now, not that the Ulama want power. But you can see how one uses the other for their own pleasure and power. The Ulama are a useful tool for making UMNO look good after all. And before UMNO can say anything the Pahang Royalty could set a precedent and cancel out a caning sentence on Kartika. And then others will follow too. And that may not fare well with UMNO's wish to see its Islamic credentials lifted above that of PAS
What is sinister about this caning is it was announced only after over a week after it happened. I cannot recall reading any caning sentence being issued to these women previously. (O.k. that does not mean they were not previously charged, found guilty and sentenced). Anyway, question is when did this happen? Then of course the sentence is carried out secretly. And they tell you how it was done and what the accused had to say about it.
Now, how come this caning was not stopped? If it was the UMNO led government that had stopped the Kartika caning they could have done so this time too. But they did not!
More importantly it was the Federal Territory Religious Authority under whom, it would seem these three were charged, sentenced and punished as well. And was it all carried out here because no Sultan could interfere?
So now, Malaysia has already acquired the record of having caned, not one, but three Muslim women. So what now is the difference if they caned Kartika too?
Can you see the pressure being applied to the Royalty? So that the Kartika meeting with the Royalty becomes academic?
Well, Royalty can ignore everything and set her free. But that would mean the UMNO led government funded Sharia Courts lose face. UMNO loses face in a way too.
So this caning is not really what it seems, does it?
bila hukuman itu dibuat oleh Islam semua tidak betul kejam lah,tidak adil lah,primitif lah dsb.tetapi bila barat mempromosikan hukuman,semua betul spt gantung,suntikan maut,kerusi elektrik dsb.kenapa kamu semua sibuk urusan agama org lain?kamu tidak tahu apa itu Islam.jadi jangan memandai hendak memberi ulasan/komen.kerana ianya akan menambahkan lagi kesusutan.kebebasan bersuara hanya untuk mereka yang tahu tentang sesuatu isu.bukan hanya untuk mendapat 'undi popular' dan secara semberono.
-kamal
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