BN component parties MCA and MIC have decried Terengganu BN’s proposal to publicly shame Muslim men who skip Friday prayers as reminiscent of Taliban law of Afghanistan’s past.

 

“Punishment by shaming the non-prayers attendees via funeral hearse street procession will appear to be excessive to non-Muslims and may even paint a picture of a Taliban-style implementation of religious laws in our country.

 

“It would also be seen as some kind of equivalence to the punishments by ‘public shaming’ during the era of the European Christian Dark Ages or the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 1960s,” said former deputy sports minister and MCA syariah law and policy implementation special task force chairperson Gan Ping Sieu ( left ) in a statement today.

 

He asked if the state or its religious council has any legal authority to carry out its suggestion in light of constitutional provisions on freedom of religion.

 

“Legally, whether the state religious council has such authority to do so and whether such 'authority', if legislated, contravenes the fundamental rights and liberties provisions of our federal constitution are issues of grave concern to the nation,” cautioned Gan.

 

Echoing the constitutionality of such legislation, MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh ( below ) balked at the state’s suggestion calling it “clearly excessive” and “Talibanisation”.

 

“The Terengganu government’s plan to penalise Muslim men who do not attend Friday prayers makes the modern state firmly in the grip of Taliban-style governance,” he said in a statement today.

 

While Kelantan has received MCA’s ire for pressing on with Islamic penal law hudud, Terengganu appears keen not to be left behind by proposing to streamline legislation to restrict male Muslims from being at public places during the period of the Friday prayers.

 

Kelantan has itself mooted laws to legislate compulsory attendance at Friday prayers, to severe criticism from lawyers, while Terengganu upped its own score by ordering all supermarkets in the state to close from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on Fridays starting January.

‘Detrimental to state, national interest’

 

Gan meanwhile questioned the practicality of Terengganu’s suggestion, and said in the bigger picture, it went against national interests.

 

“What can be foreseen, is the business community and market will practically come to a standstill during every Friday prayer time. Can that be in the interest of the state and nation as a whole?

 

"Furthermore, implementation wise, does it apply to all Muslims, including those from outside Terengganu State or travellers/business people who cross the border of the state, be it local or foreigner?” he asked.

 

“It is also time for moderate Muslim scholars and theologians to express their views over what has been perceived as radicalization of Islam in our plural-multiracial society.

 

“In so far as our understanding of the history and civilisation of Islam, such compulsive measure is too radical and beyond the teaching of Islam,” he added.

 

Sivarraajh added such a move would “hurt the state tourist and oil and gas dominated economy” and drive away foreigners, particularly Muslims.

 

“It will also make foreign investor shy away from the state,” he said.

 

Terengganu, he said, was better of addressing more important issues such as improving congestion issues during Friday prayers.

 

“For instance mosques on Friday are usually jam packed. What has the state done to ease the crowd for prayers on Friday?

 

“It is better to turn Fridays into a day for prayer and reflection instead of going around harassing people,” he added.