One of Malaysiakini ’s most unique features is the comments posted by its readers. Some of these are compiled as 'Yoursay' pieces, meant to provide a snapshot of their views on matters of public interest.
Such Yoursay pieces can often be very controversial. A few have indeed taken offence with them. They include no less the prime minister who sued this website over two Yoursay pieces discussing the Terengganu MB crisis last year.
Earlier this week, an individual with the pseudonym ‘Rakyat Malaysia’ launched an online petition called ‘Malaysians Against Malaysiakini 's Islamophobia’ over another of Malaysiakini ’s Yoursay pieces.
According to ‘Rakyat Malaysia’, who claimed to speak on behalf of the Muslim Malaysian community, the Yoursay article entitled ‘ Having sex on camel needs gymnastic skills, no ?’ was “an obviously and deviously engineered attempt to ridicule Islam in this country and it does not reflect the views of the majority”.
The comments in this June 16 Yoursay piece were in response to a news report quoting Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria as saying that Muslim women should not take part in gymnastics because of the skimpy outfits required by the sport.
"If Muslim women want to participate in gymnastics, they have to find outfits which cover the aurat and this, in turn, might not be suitable for the sport," he told broadcaster Astro Awani .
No ridiculing of religion
Harussani was commenting on the furore over national gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi ( photo ), who won a gold medal at the SEA Games earlier this month, for not covering her aurat as required by Islam.
The headline of the Yoursay piece was based on one of the selected reader's comments who linked Harussani’s remarks on gymnastics to an earlier comment of his in which he said wives were obligated to provide sex for their husbands even when riding camels.
Other selected comments in the said Yoursay criticised Harussani for saying that footballers should wear shorts that covers their knees and that one should consider niat or 'intention' when wearing certain outfits.
“In Farah's case she wore what was best suited for that particular sport. Her intention was not to show off any part of her body,” said Malaysiakini reader, 'Azhar'.
As such, the comments in the Yoursay article, while critical of Harussani, were not aimed at ridiculing Islam as claimed by ‘Rakyat Malaysia’.
Nevertheless, Malaysiakini would like to express its regret if the Yoursay comments have offended.
