A+ | A- | Reset

==> Pls visit new site at http://malaysia-today.net/ <==

Home

The Blogs

News/Commentaries

Mahathir slams PAS for acting in draconian manner

Posted by admin

Thursday, 11 June 2009 13:32

(The Star) - Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has criticised PAS for its call to ban Sisters in Islam (SIS), saying that the opposition party was behaving in a draconian manner.

“I am saddened that PAS should suggest banning SIS. I do not always agree with the views of SIS but the group has not negated Islam,” he said yesterday in response to PAS’ call at its 55th muktamar on Sunday.

“In most instances, they cite verses of the Quran and Hadith to support their views. If we don’t agree then give the reasons why we don’t agree. But to resort to banning is draconian,” he said in his blog chedet.co.cc.

“We can imagine what a PAS government for Malaysia would be like,” he added.

PAS passed the resolution demanding the banning of SIS and urging the National Fatwa Council to probe SIS for allegedly misrepresenting Islam, ban the group and send its members for “rehabilitation” if it was proven guilty.

SIS, together with 42 organisations as well as 279 individuals, have issued a statement urging PAS to retract its call for a ban and to reconsider its position.

“The demand for action against SIS culminating in a ban is not easily reconciled with PAS’ public rhetoric in favour of a more democratic and inclusive Malaysia,” it said, adding that the demand was “wholly anti-democratic”.

“We reiterate that although members of PAS are entitled to their views, the call for the banning of SIS is wholly unacceptable.

“As a matter of principle, the question of banning any organisation purely for their views should not arise at all. Differences of views must be respected and, if at all, be resolved through constructive engagement.”

It said the call to silence SIS and send its members for rehabilitation was an act of violence against those freedoms and their constitutional underpinnings.

“It also lends itself to further closure of the already narrow space of public discourse and debate that a slew of anti-expression laws have allowed Malaysians.”

It added that no one person or organisation had a monopoly over the right to express views on matters of public importance.

Comments (12) Add Comment

...
written by gkh4mt, June 11, 2009 13:41:08

STFU! Nobody want to hear you anymore.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 7

...
written by zza11, June 11, 2009 13:50:48

Didin't you ban Al Arqam and put the leader in jail?

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 11

...
written by Pakyeh, June 11, 2009 14:05:34

Look who is talking about draconian . You Mahathief is the the Father of draconian Malaysia and Malaysia is one of the most draconian country in the whole wide world.
You are a despicable man Tun Dr Mahathief Mohammad,

Read more "Yo Mahathief! You are the cause of the rot in UMNO and the Government" at...

http://warongpakyeh.********.com

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 8

...
written by born2reign, June 11, 2009 14:14:32

â€œWe can imagine what a PAS government for Malaysia would be like,â€ he added.

Under the name of Islam, politicians (a small group of people) can ban your society, your teams, what colour shirt you wear, where you queue, where you stay, where you are buried, ban a woman from working if she's too attractive, etc. UMNO used this name, PAS is DEFINITELY using this name, and so will any religious parties from here on.

Frankly, are our politicians even bothered about the economy and wooing foreign investors? Are our politicians concerned with the brain drain of Malaysia, if our vision is to be high-income country?

Let's ban religious political parties, that's something useful.

I am going to vote for PM of Singapore to replace our PM, and may Malaysia be a republican one day.

report abuse

disagree 3

agree 5

...
written by SECJDM3P044, June 11, 2009 15:19:40

Ooooo... Draconian Manner.. How about ISA?? What kind of law it is?

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 3

...
written by Anti Relon, June 11, 2009 16:02:25

Religion-free Spirituality?
June 10, 2:54 PM Â· 1 comment

From Examiner - www.examiner.com
in Freethinker - www.freethinker.co.uk

Yesterday, we briefly considered the "new atheists" and whether their criticisms of theism are fair and helpful. Neuroscientist and author Sam Harris is one of a "quartet" of prominent atheists mentioned, and a short video of him talking about atheism appears at the bottom of the article.

Today, let us briefly examine a key and very provocative quote from Harris in that video where he says:

Whenever human beings make an honest effort to get at the truth, they reliably transcend the accidents of their birth and upbringing. Just as it would be absurd to speak about Christian physics, though the Christians invented physics, and it would be absurd to speak about Muslin algebra, though the Muslims invented algebra, [so it] will one day be absurd to speak about Christian or Muslim ethics or spirituality."

Previously, we touched upon the question of whether it's possible to be truly spiritual without being religious, and the tentative conclusion was that it might be, although religion and spirituality are often so intertwined as to be inseparable. Harris seems to believe that it's not only possible to separate them, but that any spirituality worthy of the name should be divorced from religion.

In that regard, Harris differs from other prominent atheists who seem to reject all religion and spirituality as worthless nonsense. Harris has practiced meditation and done scientific research on the neurological underpinnings of religious belief and spiritual experience, and he's expressed the opinion that there may well be spiritual experience and insights which not only make people happier but which, unlike most religious teachings, can be supported by empirical evidence of their truth.

Yet, what would a religionless spiritual path look like? In what would its practices consist? Would it have any teachings, or would practitioners be expected to arrive at their own discoveries of truth through their practices? If there were teachings, where would they come from, what form would they take, and what function would they assume? Would they come from the various religions and be offered as hypotheses to be tested via some kind of contemplative science rather than be put forth as preestablished truths to be confirmed through personal spiritual experience?

The idea of a spiritual path whose effects upon the practitioner are untainted by established religious preconceptions is an appealing one. But to what extent is it practicable? How many people interested in partaking or leading others in such a path would come to it without religious preconceptions that they're looking to strengthen in themselves or inculcate in others? Or is it possible to take up practices within various religious traditions which lead to experiences and genuine insights shared by people of all religions who take up similar practices within their religions? That is, could we reach the point of Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Jews, Christians, Muslims, and people of other faiths practicing traditions en masse within their faiths and arriving at a universal ethics and spirituality? If so, would it resemble the "perennial philosophy" outlined previously?

These are questions to which we'll devote further consideration in articles to come.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 0

...
written by unomalaysia, June 11, 2009 16:45:44

Aiyah Mr Selective Memory Bin Kutty, Don't lah embarrass yourself further. Try your best to refrain from making anymore statement that makes you look senile....

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 3

...
written by AlwaysFair, June 11, 2009 21:19:14

""" Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has criticised PAS for its call to ban Sisters in Islam (SIS), saying that the opposition party was behaving in a draconian manner. """

Yes!!yes!! Only you are not draconian, other people are.
Yes!Yes!! Pas would be terrible if it were to run the country so they must go under UMNO umbrella and be tamed by UMNO b4 it can run the country. Yes!Yes!!
You are always right!!! smilies/wink.gif

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 1

...
written by Nadal, June 11, 2009 21:49:41

SIS is Marina's pet project. Just as Marina can't find anything wrong with her father and brothers in her articles, the dad would defend this project of the daughter.

What about Arqam and numerous other groups that were banned under Mahathir and sent to ISA? This is just about there are different rules for Marina and gang compared to others. I would like to see some action taken on SIS to prove that the government is fair to everyone. I doubt it.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 4

...
written by sara, June 11, 2009 21:57:21

SEE WHO IS TALKING.THE FATHER OF DRACONIAN.MARINA DIDN'T YOU PASS YOUR FATHER OR AS YOU LOVINGLY PUT DAD, MY COMMENT?MAHTHIR AND HIS FAMILY MUST TRY TO BE A HUMAN BEING.THEN THEY CAN TALK ABOUT HUMANITY,OR FAIRNESS OR DRACONIAN.HAD SAYING SO, I THANK THE ALMIGHT GOD, MAHATHIR AND HIS FAMILY IS TOTALLY MADE UP OF DIFFERENT SPECIES NOT LIKE YOU AND ME WHO ARE HUMANS.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 3

...
written by Sagaladoola, June 11, 2009 23:49:57

Reminds me of the pot , kettle , black and a call proverb ... smilies/wink.gif

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 1

...
written by DreamLady, June 12, 2009 08:58:49

Mahathir, tepuk dada tanya selera, is not the way Anwar got his black eye from your regime a draconian act??? Why now of all the years, that you choose to voice out your disgust against injustice towards the innocence???

ARE YOU SENILE!!!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 1

Write comment

This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment.

You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.