“a disruption by any other name” (aliran)

Two PAS leaders and an ulama (Muslim religious scholar) will be charged with illegal assembly for allegedly participating in a demonstration against a forum on the freedom of religion by Article 11 in Penang.

The PAS leaders are its Bukit Bendera deputy chief Abdul Rahim Ismail and its state deputy youth chief Hafiz Nordin. The ulama was identified as Shauhul Hamid.

now that we had the 3 persons charged, will the police allow article 11 forum to be re-convened in penang? by all means, the protestors are welcome to protest… but let it be a peaceful one… and legitimate! they should seek police permit first for the protest, then they are welcome to show up with banners and slogans BUT, most importantly, to allow the forum to go on as schedule (no cutting short the time) AND not to disrupt the forum by heckling or whatever.

UPDATED: very disappointing headline greeted me in the morning – our PM cried “stop the forum!”. strange… like the rest, he said this forum is about the interfaith commission (IFC). the organisers of article 11 had expressed so many times this has nothing to do with IFC. this is about the federal constitution – protection for all.

KUALA LUMPUR: Article 11 forums to discuss inter-faith issues must stop immediately because they are deemed to cause tension in our multi-religious society, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

first of all, article 11 never intend to discuss inter-faith issues at all. secondly, you mean tension to one particular religion? yes we are a multi-religious society so why can’t you allow the other religions to have their say (which anyway, the article 11 forum has ALL religions, including islam speakers).

On the Article 11 forum to discuss constitutional protection for all Malaysians which was held in Johor last Saturday, he said: “Those who continue with the activities are those who want the interfaith commission (IFC) to be formed.

granted it may be true that the organisers and those who attend the forum wants to see IFC established but this forum is not talking about IFC at all. can’t they… even the PM… get this into their head?

pak lah also said:

“If the discussions are not kept in check or contained, they are bound to raise tension in our multi-religious society. Religious issues are even more sensitive than ethnic issues,” he told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting here yesterday.

fine thing for him to say ‘multi-religious’. yes, pak lah dear, this is a multi religious country but you seems to be sensitive to only one religion. if you want us to be sensitive to all religions, shouldn’t you listen to all religions? shouldn’t you let all religions have thier chance to speak their mind?

as for this article 11 forum, shouldn’t you instead as a PM, assured the muslims (at least only those who protest against the forum – which does NOT represent ALL muslims) that the forum is only an avenue for ALL religions (include islam) to speak their mind on the federal constitution and that they shouldn’t fear their faith will be weakened or that the forum will insult their religion? are you being sensitive to ALL religions, pak lah? are you?

pak lah, i lost my respect for you now.

note: go to aliran website to read more articles on article 11, especially the letter addressed to pak lah.

UPDATED AGAIN (05:27PM)

read this article ‘malaysia: muslim students and clerics against civil courts‘. the last paragraph read:

The Muslim Youth Movement secretary-general said a series of forums was being planned by Pembela Islam to spread the message to Muslims on the need to “defend the faith”.

a series of forum was being planned? hey, didn’t pak lah just screamed “stop the forum!”. i have no problem at all with the muslim youth movement planning forums. go ahead. it’s good to have forums… but if pak lah wants to stop article 11 forum, there should be no double standard – he should stop these forums too!! remember, we are multi religious. remember we must be sensitive to all religions. what if some non muslim feel uneasy over these forums by the muslim youth movement, just like some muslims feel uneasy over the article 11 forum? if pak lah felt that article 11 forum will cause tension in our mutli religious country, then he should also feel that these forums on defending the faith by the muslim youth will cause tension too.

no double standard, please. show that this country is really mutli religious, that this country is sensitive to ALL religions.

personally i feel it is good for the muslim youth movement to hold these series of forums (no, i’m not threatened in any way or will feel uneasy). i give them my support… but at the same time, i want assurance from pak lah that article 11 forum should be allowed to go on too.