When shifting house can become an ORGY IN PROCESS: But why aren't the Malays SPEAKING UP?

The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) latest close-proximity (khalwat) raid of three women and a man is starting to ring alarm bells across the nation.

Already under heavy fire for their raids on Churches for alleged proselytisation, apprehending brides at weddings, snatching of corpses at Funerals and seizing of Holy Books with the intention of disposing them, their antics are starting to rile the citizens of this nation.

Meanwhile, Mais in ignoring the decision of the AG, is in short telling everyone that it is the sole authority on any religious dispute and acting like a judge, jury and executioner. Mais chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa also said that operations to counter the distribution of such bibles in Selangor will continue and warned that it will not hesitate to arrest those distributing it nor will return the seized bibles to BSM.

Malaysians, have lost all hope on the Selangor State Government to resolve the issue. With the bible seizure issue still in limbo, Menteri Besar Khalid has issued yet another statement that the Selangor State Government is powerless to act as Muslims were involved in the ‘Khalwat’ case.

Such clear cases of fumbling and backtracking are some of the reasons why there is so much resistance to his continued leadership of the State.

Equally absurd is; How can the Malaysian Government allow the rights of its citizens to be encroached with such impunity? Are the Malay Muslims any less deserving of equal human rights than the rest of the nation?

Now moving house at midnight can be interpreted as an orgy in progress?

Hanisha, 29, and two of her housemates Idah, 19, and Siti, 21, were hauled up for close-proximity with Muhammad Mukamil, 22. The three women were cleaning house upon arriving home from work, while their driver Mukamil was standing outside the house gate when two Jais officers arrested them.

They were told to present themselves at the Jais headquarters in Shah Alam on June 23 with a guarantor and RM3, 000 each to settle the Khalwat issue.

Their lawyers slammed Jais officers for concluding it was Khalwat after a mere five minutes of observation before charging them for the offence. Their lawyer, Latheefa Koya also said the entire procedures in the way they handled matters have to be reviewed and revamped as misusing the enactment in their enforcement does not reflect true Islamic teachings nor is it the way to stop vice.

Discerning Malaysian Muslims tend to be thankful and sympathetic with Jais as a Muslim body overlooking the interests and welfare of Muslims in this country, but that does not give Jais the right to misuse their authority and terrorize innocent Muslims.

If it is proven that mistakes have been committed, the heads of Jais should roll and replaced with professionals who can manage the affairs of the body with integrity. They must not forget that they are mere Civil Servants employed from tax payer’s money to uphold the law.

Giving the religion a bad name

PAS Khalid Samad seriously thinks that, these two agencies need a complete overhaul if they cannot be neutered. Their unprofessional attitudes and manners is not only tainting the sanctity of Islam and making a mockery of religion, it is also turning the Islamic Agency into a laughing stock especially among the Non Muslims.

Malaysians are beginning to see Jais officials as a bunch of snoopers and peeping toms, trying to find and shame people of their own faith. Others think they are underpaid and overzealous in their enforcement attempts while disturbing the peace. Some people feel that these officials should be disbanded and they should seek a real job instead.

Even without Hudud, we already have overzealous enforcers who hide behind religion to prey on the vulnerable and bringing shame to innocent Muslims. Jais must respect the Muslims need for personal privacy, and conduct their operations with fairness and tact.

Conducting operations in the right areas

There are hundreds of entertainment outlets disguised as Dangduts, Massage Parlours and Spas where Muslims are actively engaging in dubious acts where Jais can focus their activities on, instead of hiding behind bushes preying on innocent romantic couples.

Luxury hotels and resorts would be a good start where the rich and famous hides their sins from the rest of the world, and not concentrate their operations at sham motels and guesthouses. Even the fishermen know that one big fish caught is a hundred times better than many tiny fishes. These Big Fishes would be exemplary role models for the rest not to follow.

The unprofessional manner in which they conduct their raids has caused people to jump of buildings to their deaths, merely to escape a RM3000 fine, while under-aged Muslim couples ill-equipped to handle marital life were forced into marriage to escape parental shame.

There were known cases, where men snared the women of their dreams by forcing the women to be alone with them, while engaging moral squads to catch them for alleged Khalwat. There were also cases of people impersonating as moral squads to target innocent victims for bribes or sex.

This is why we need learned professional and moderate Muslims with high moral intellect and values to helm this positions, and not UMNO members who sympathize with the party.

We are living in the 21st century, and Jais must move with the times. It could play a more important role to engage Muslims with precautionary advice, instead of constantly wielding the cane. Jais crude antics have also caused many Muslims to term their actions as insensitive, ill-advised and downright degrading.

Why are the Muslims not speaking out?

Even if Muslims in Malaysia are not entitled to religious freedom, they should not be humiliated by having a Big Brother organisation breathing down their necks. Many Muslims young and old ranging from Academicians, Civil Servants, Corporate and business owners, farmers and fishermen, who are spooked by such blatant encroachment of their privacy are reluctant to speak out for being branded as un-Islamic or are too busy living their lives trying to make ends meet. Others just ignore the issues as they know they that they will not let themselves be in such compromising positions.

Even our academic institutions are totally muzzled from speaking out against such authoritarian laws. Those that do speak out find themselves suddenly out of a job or expelled from furthering their studies as in the case of students.

There is a concerted effort to paint the Muslims as being under siege and Islam under attack, and every Muslim should either unite or keep their mouths shut.

Public criticism are pouring in

Such incidents have caused public outrage and stinging criticism to pour in, giving rise to more questions than answers. Below are some of the critical questions and criticisms;

Why are such sinful acts limited to a big fine? Why not jail them or punish them with community service instead?

Where do Muslims draw the line on cases like taxi driver with a female passenger in the middle of the night or a lady friend and the male driver stranded on a dark highway due to breakdown?

Or a female riding pillion on a motorcycle?

Or a male teacher giving a female student home tuition?

How about electricians or plumbers making repairs in a house with only a female occupant around?

Remember the Bohsia Culture of sharing partners is still alive, but behind close doors, while Mat Rempits still roam the streets with their girlfriends riding pillion.

What happens to victims that cannot afford the Rm3, 000.00 fines? Will there be a jail term and where will they serve their sentence since it is an Islamic offence?

And if the victims were proven innocent, will the victims be compensated?

Some people feel that it is time for UMNO leaders to rein in their contractors Jais and Mais. They are not helping the UMNO/BN government to improve their moral indices but instead they are behaving like over zealous clowns.

Even our Police Force does not let such power go to their heads, when they go about their duties to protect the nation. And with such unsupervised fanatics on the loose, the international community will look down on us and equate us as a Taliban nation or communist North Korea.

The Selangor State Government has the authority to take action, so they should stop dilly-dallying and put their foot down. This especially applies to Khalid Ibrahim who seems to be following in Prime Minister Najib Razak's footsteps of being a leader without leadership - in other words, a lame duck politician but toothless administrator! - MAILBAG