P Gunasegaram’s recent article in The Star daily, ‘Persuasion, not compulsion’, sparked outrage in some sanctimonious Malaysians. My criticism is that he did not go far enough – but he couldn’t, as columnists are restricted by column length.

The NGOs who protested against him think nothing of intimidating people who express opposing views. They say Gunasegaram has no right to comment about Islamic matters because he is not a Muslim.  As I have now firmly planted myself on his side, which encourages discussion and engages with people from our multicultural society, will my comments be disqualified because I am not a religious scholar or worse still, because I am a woman?

We consider our homes to be our castles, but with the creeping influence of these ‘religious police’ or the ‘conscience administrators’, it is our living rooms which will be the next battleground. Are Malaysians unperturbed at being held to ransom by self-righteous, holier-than-thou types? If not, they should catch a glimpse of life under a fundamentalist regime and then project their minds into a hypothetical futuristic scenario.

But don’t dawdle, for it might be too late then. And don’t think it will not affect the non-Muslims. It will! The only defense that Malaysians have against the threat of fundamentalism is the determination of moderate Muslims. We are all in this together. If ever there was a time to use the despised term, '1Malaysia', it is now. So spare a thought for small liberties; do make a stand.

Hidden motive

The rabble-rousers who lodged police reports and demanded the Home Ministry investigate Gunasegaram for his ‘hidden motive’, simply have too much time on their hands. Might they care to explain what they believe his ‘hidden motive’ to be? One hopes the Home Ministry has better things to do (like trace the 2 million illegal migrant workers), than to waste resources on this ‘hidden motive’.

 How dare they say Gunasegaram has no right to comment about Islamic matters because he is not a Muslim? So when South Africa was under apartheid rule, are they saying the rest of the world should have ignored that? How about the cruel military junta rule in Burma? Or closer to home, are we to shut our eyes to the raped Penan girls? Or the Orang Asli who are abused?

When my inbox fills up with letters from women pleading for me to highlight their problems of abuse by their husbands, have I no right to comment, because I don’t happen to have been punched black and blue, nor had a few teeth knocked out, myself? I may not be the perfect Muslim, and I may not wear the religion on my sleeve, but at least I am not blind to injustice.

 So what has happened to our country? Forget women’s rights. We can’t even have basic human rights. We are reduced to a nation which pillories women and champions peeping toms; with prying cameras ready to zoom in from behind a pillar and catch us in flagrante delicto? And as a treat, whipping, public humiliation and mental torture are heaped onto the hapless women victims.

 Those who need more convincing should try searching You Tube for ‘Tangkap Basah’. These guys, who are allegedly recruited off the streets, have a camcorder in one hand, whilst working up a frenzy with the other. From their heavy breathing, it almost sounds as if the job is taxing and laborious. And they can even call for back-up, for in the background, there are shouts of “I’m coming”, presumably, from their reinforcements. But I could be wrong. So for anyone interested in earning a quick buck, the necessary qualification is: Voyeur. The wages: RM50. The job title: Religious persecutor. Sorry, prosecutor.

Class divide

Malaysian religion is not just politics. It also represents a class divide and is hypocrisy to the extreme. Rich, influential, titled Muslims evade capture in notorious night-spots. And yet, the poor ‘Kartika’ types are hauled up as worst–case heathens, and singled out for punishment and public humiliation extraordinaire. Ordinary couples having a quick smooch (which all of us are guilty of in our youth) are penalised heavily. And yet, datuks having a dirty weekend, ostensibly called a ‘business trip’ abroad, with their latest ‘sweet-young-thing’ as accessory, escape censure.

On one hand, we discourage our children from being taught parrot-fashion in school. But we send mixed messages because we then expect adults to blindly follow orders. Anyone who voices an opinion, suddenly finds a police report lodged against him, is asked to resign and his employer to be severely punished.

 Is intimidation the best weapon a religious organisation has? It is nothing short of cowardice and acting the playground bully. What happened to critical thinking, reasoning, understanding, analysing and assessing?

 What a revelation it is that non-Muslims are prepared to voice their concern for their fellow Muslims, at the haphazard interpretation of laws, with women are at the mercy of the male law enforcers and how punishment is handed out surreptitiously. It appears that conscientious people like Gunasegaram are more understanding of the public mood than the paid politicians that people have elected.

 Raging resentment in Muslims, who have real fear voicing their concerns, is unhealthy for our democracy. So, when will the ulama focus on pertinent issues such as inheritance laws, incest, drug dependence, substance abuse addiction, divorce, polygamy, HIV/AIDs sufferers, domestic abuse, illegitimate births, child abuse, illiteracy – all of which affects Muslims most. Without an effective solution, more Muslims will enter the poverty trap.

Will the religious ulama stop moaning and start to concentrate on the negative aspects afflicting our society? If they aren’t be prepared to do the work, why not give it to the women. They’re a capable bunch as the Cuepacs secretary-general has found to his extreme displeasure.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real–speak’, this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.