Groups representing Malays and Muslims are up in arms over a proposal by G25 to do away with laws which empower religious authorities to conduct raids against those who commit khalwat (close proximity).

Muslims can be charged for khalwat if found in close proximity with an unrelated member of the opposite sex in private spaces.

“The claim that these laws indiscriminately allow spying by religious authorities is baseless.

“In actual truth, these are the avenues for society to curb immoral activities by certain factions who blatantly disregard the sensitivities of their neighbours with their raunchy activities,” Ikatatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma)’s women’s wing said today.

Its representatives Dr Rafidah Hanim Mokhtar and Dr Siti Nurhayati Adznan said the principle of hisbah , as stated in the Quran, says that rulers must command righteousness and prevent wrongdoing.

“Surely, as Muslims, prior to criticising Islamic Law, prior even to referring to the UN Declaration on Human Rights or other charters on human rights, we should first refer to the scholars and experts in Islam.

“Likewise, G25 should be humble enough to do so,” they said in their statement.

G25 spokesperson Noor Farida Ariffin at a conference last weekend said Islam does not promote intrusion into personal spaces so as such khalwat raids by religious authorities should be stopped.

G25 is a group of Malay professionals including those formerly in top positions in the civil service.

'Deviant views'

Separately, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali said such calls by G25 was a 'provocation by liberals' who do not understand Islam and were 'aiding the enemies of Islam'.

“Perkasa wonders if this group are Freemason members or just tools of the Freemasons. They oppose penalties for khalwat and others as stated in the syariah without any shame […]

“Muslim intellectuals must rise to oppose the deviant views of the G25 or other anti-Islam groups who speak under the guise of Islam.

“Such pluralism, including supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, is against Islam,” he said in a speech to launch a Perkasa branch in Jordan.

He added that human rights provisions were void if they go against the Quran and hadith (prophetic traditions).