Shahrizat defends Sisters in Islam

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has come to the defence of Sisters In Islam (SIS), which PAS wants banned if its activities were against the religion, saying the Islamist party should learn to accept differing views.

The Women, Family and Community Development Minister said if PAS could not even accommodate the differing views of some Muslim women activists, “how can they tolerate the dissenting non-Muslim voices?”

Although the ministry did not always see eye-to-eye with any non-governmental organisations or individuals on certain matters, it had never called for any punishment against them, she said in a press statement Monday.

PAS adopted a motion on Sunday at its 55th muktamar, urging the National Fatwa Council to declare SIS haram if its activities were found to be contrary to the Islamic teachings and principles.

The party alleged that the group’s activities were “dangerous” as it could cause confusion among the Muslims.

The motion also urged the council to introduce special programmes to rehabilitate the group’s members so that they could come back to the “right religious track”.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP - PAS’ partners in the Pakatan Rakyat - are also disturbed by the motion.

PKR voiced its disagreement, particularly with the call for SIS members to be rehabilitated.

“Freedom of speech and association are cherished principles under a modern and democratic state. Differing and dissenting views (and association) are not only allowed but should be protected as these are the essence of a democratic and fair society,” said its vice president Mustaffa Kamil Ayub.

He said the correct way was to engage and debate with any organisation in a mature and civilised manner rather than seeking to ban it and punish its members.

DAP lambasted PAS over the motion, saying that it wanted the Islamist party to hold on the principle of democracy and freedom of speech of which the two parties has agreed upon.

Its Women National Secretary Teresa Kok said such a ban would be against human rights, adding that SIS was free to express its opinion.

“To ban or declare it haram means an iron fist way of doing things that should not be allowed to be turned into a culture,” she said in a statement.

Malaysian Bar president Ragunath Kesavan expressed alarm over the motion, also saying dialogue and debate should be the way and not silencing differing views.

“We call on PAS to move away from the typical Malaysian political approach of imposing a ban merely because of disagreement over differing viewpoints,” he said.

Wanita Gerakan secretary general Jayanthi Devi Balaguru said such a motion was a glaring reminder that the state of women’s affairs in Malaysia was still in its infancy.

She expressed disappointment that in this case, religion had apparently been used to divide and coerce.

Meanwhile, Selangor Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jais) director-general Datuk Muhammed Khusrin Munawi was supportive of PAS’ call, noting that the group was too liberal when it came to issues relating to Islamic family law.

He said most of SIS members were not qualified to comment on Islam as they did not have an Islamic studies background.

Selangor Mufti Datuk Mohd Tamyes Abd Wahid agreed, saying SIS’ activities and efforts were contradictory to Islamic teachings