Meng's Blog

A muslim woman was recently sentenced to 5 strokes of the rotan (caning) for consuming alcohol - Beer at a holiday resort.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/7/20/nation/20090720190259&sec=nation

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/109298

This sentence was meted out by the Syariah Court of Malaysia. Many have come out to speak against it. My stand is that this is the law of Islam. The Syariah Court acted and sentenced within their jurisdiction. Whether or not there is elements of hypocrisy or not is not for us non muslims to say. Here are some Malaysiakini letters in response:

On Whipping for beer-drinking model sparks debate
JC Tansen: It is extremely disturbing to learn that a court in Malaysia has sentenced a woman and mother to two young children to six strokes of whipping and a fine of RM5,000 for drinking beer.
I appeal to the authorities to reconsider this decision and waive this cruel punishment. This will not only show deserving mercy to the remorseful woman but also help to project an image of Malaysia as a civilised and decent country.

Thomas Nathan: What a big joke! If you were to go to KL or any of the big cities you will find lots of Muslims not only consuming liquor but also committing close proximity under syariah law. Most of them are renowned personalities or their children. Even police officers' children consume liquor and drugs (now called designer drugs) in such places but the religious authorities "close one eye" or just do not dare to disturb them lest they get chided for doing so.
What about Nazri son's whose photos were all over the net with liquor on one hand and a scantily-dressed woman on the other. This is height of hypocrisy and double standards by the authorities.

Pagan: Caning/whipping is a horrible experience that should be implemented on serious offenders such as rapists, drug traffickers, murderers for the purpose of punishment, warning and humiliation. Therefore, I read with abhorrence that a woman is sentence for five strokes of whipping for consuming alcohol!
Religious teaching is meant to be a platform to develop one's spirituality, and everyone should have the freedom of choice to follow any religion that benefits them. Certainly no religious group should have any power to decide caning a woman for this. What good is secular law then?

Most of us are influenced by the Judaic-Christian thinking of mercy and grace upon a wrongdoing especially upon a repentant person. However even in the Bible it speaks of a certain wrath and punishment upon the sinner. Most of us agree that God is not like us and is Holy. Well for being Holy, it also means He cannot tolerate Sin. Sin is anything that is not Holy. The Bible teaches us that man is naturally sinful and left to himself or herself would naturally tend towards selfishness and in short rebel against God

The idea of Grace and mercy comes when that punishment with which we were suppose to receive was meted out upon His Son; Jesus Christ. That is why in the Bible it says that; Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for all our sin.

The best analogy to this is if now somebody; like Kartika’s father would come and say punish me instead and let Kartika be forgiven of her sins – this is where Justice is fulfilled through Grace and Mercy.

Najib's recent liberalisation of the financial sectors and the rolling back of Affirmative Actions have found himself in the bad books of the grand old man of politics; Mahathir Mohammad. Mahathir in his blog said that after 39 years of NEP (affirmative action policies for the majority malay population) malay share of corporate pie remained at 20% while chinese was at 50%. Bumiputera property holdings are only at 15% while the rest are held by Non-Bumiputeras.

At first glance, I would dispute those figures for it is hard to believe that of all the shareholdings of Public Listed Companies held by Bumiputera's cannot account for 20% of total equities? I believe there was some questions raised as to how thsese figures were achieved which led to the resignation of Dr Lim Teck Ghee when he did a study a few years back.

However, my contention is that Dr Mahathir once again is sowing seed of dissension and suspicion instead of building bridges of unity. The BN under his watch was infamous for "dividing and ruling". His statement is irresponsible and his analysis of the situation dangerously simple. If after 39 years of the NEP, the economic pie of the Bumiputera still only hovers at 20% and the Property holding at 15%, then there is possibly two reasons:
1) That Mahathir's book "The malay dilemma" is true and that malays as he says it are LAZY, FATTENED by an abundance of food under the tropical sun..
2) That the NEP has been ineffective and abused.

I say that point number one is totally untrue for it is proven that there are very bright malays and many who have become outstanding entrepreneurs in their own right. If given the right environment the malays can succeed with hard work like every other race.
How any malay can accept his derogatory description of their own race is beyond me. He of all people a man of indian descent!!

That the NEP has failed and instead bred a generation of "Malay Dilemma" malays is perhaps nearer to the truth. A type of self-fulfilling prophecy. The NEP is not a total failure as there have been some who benefitted judging from the increase of middle class malays in the last 39 years. The problem with the affirmative action program under the BN rule, however, is that it has been tied to political affiliation (like every other government policy). Help and aid especially in the last 10 years, have gone to party faithfuls and UMNO warlords. This help and resources have not effectively trickled down to the rural poor malays. The poor shall remain poor and if NEP was to continue another 20 years, the figures will remain the same if not worsen. If the people is not changed, The NEP or whatever affirmative action program the government calls it will fail and the number of Zakaria mansions and Toyo properties will increase while the majority of rural malays remain poor.

Not opening up the market is living the life of a hermit in a coccoon and our neighbours like Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand will supercede us by 2020. Insisting on the 30% equity for public listed companies will only retard Malaysia's growth and KLSE. The way I see it Najib has little choice. However, liberalising without a clean up and change of guards may see greater abuse and deteriorating living standards for all especially the rural malays. BN will then wield their racial card when the pie gets smaller and this does not bode well for the future of Malaysia.

There has to be a change, if not 2012 then sooner.