New Straits Times (April 16) ran an editorial identifying the high incidences of incest in the state of Kelantan as sexual repression due to PAS' version of Islam. This NST analysis was backed by its claim that statistics do not lie.

I think statistical data can be interpreted another way. An increase of any incident may be due to the fact that more people are coming forward to lodge police reports. Perhaps the police force in Kelantan are also more people-friendly as compared with police in Barisan Nasional-controlled states? Perhaps people are more aware about their rights to be able to take some form of action?

Such reports have to be backed by other information and data.

I also think that the practices of religion whether in Kelantan or in other BN-controlled states do contain certain beliefs which some may view as elements of sexual repression. However that does not mean that Malaysians should go about committing sexual abuses and crimes against others whom we have control over or who are powerless or in a position of subordination.

Religion is not to be used as an excuse nor cause of violence and sexual repression.

Perhaps the editors at NST need to check out sites on violence or at least attend some Wave (Women Against Violence) sessions initiated by Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's Women and Family Development Ministry to pick up rudimentary information on the politics of violence.