Nazri brands me ‘Islam hater’
Tuesday, 28-03-2006Malaysiakini, March 27: A minister today branded opposition parliamentarian Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) an ‘Islam hater’ after she questioned the directive that all policewomen must wear the tudung (headscarf) during official parades.
During the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat this morning, Kok in a supplementary question had described last week’s directive issued by Inspector-General of Police Mohd Bakri Omar as a “clear example” of human rights violation.
Responding, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the directive was to ensure uniformity of dress at official parades and this was even implemented during the opening of the Parliament session every year.
“They (non-Muslim government leaders) wear the songkok, but until now they have not converted to Islam,” he said.
The minister then told Kok not to inject her “hatred for Islam” into her questions.
On hearing this, Kok immediately protested and asked for the remark to be withdrawn.
“It is against Standing Order 36, under which a member of the House should not hurt the feelings of another member. This remark was made in bad faith, I merely raised this issue from a human rights perspective,” she said.
However Deputy Speaker Dr Yusof Yacob merely told the minister that the remark was unnecessary.
‘Dangerous precedent’
On Saturday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had backed the decision for tudung to be worn at official parades, as “part of the uniform” but said it was optional during normal duty hours.
The controversy continued to be at the centre of debate for several parliamentarians.
Debating on the Royal Address, Jimmy Donald (BN-Sri Aman) joined the criticism of the directive, saying it would be difficult for him to explain the rationale for the directive to his voters and to defend it.
The backbencher quipped about the directive, comparing the situation to that of a new boss who comes up with new policies just to prove that he is doing work.
Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) in her debate said the directive set a ‘dangerous precedent’ in a multi-racial society and Abdullah was wrong in claiming that the tudung was merely part of the police uniform.
“This has opened up the possibility of serious problems, especially since this is detrimental to national unity and inter-racial relations,” she said, also noting that the ruling goes against the Federal Constitution and Islamic principles.
“Surah Al Baqarah 2:256 says ‘there shall be no compulsion in religion’. This directive is not only against Islamic principles but will result in non-Muslims distancing themselves from Islam, rather than accepting it.”
Fong, a graduate of the International Islamic University, urged Abdullah to be a ‘prime minister for all ethnic groups and religions’.
“They (non-Muslim government leaders) wear the songkok, but until now they have not converted to Islam,” Nazri said.
Teresa, imagine if you did not raise up this issue and a few years from now, another directive is given, for instance, for uniformity sake, all female school children regardless of race or religion must wear the tudung during school assembly and someone protests, Nazri wil then say “The non-Muslim policewomen wear the tudung, but until now they have not converted to Islam”.
The question is not whether to wear or not to wear but is a question of choice to choose esp for non-muslims. If for uniformity sake, then the question is why specifically the songkok and the tudung? Why not all wear a beret, cap or hat? It is still uniformity, right?
Nazri and some lame BN MPs can call you whatever they want but as far as I am concerned, you have my full support.
Comment by normal joe — Tuesday, 28-03-2006 @ 18: 12.12
“They (non-Muslim government leaders) wear the songkok, but until now they have not converted to Islam,” Nazri said.
Teresa, imagine if you did not raise up this issue and a few years from now, another directive is given, for instance, for uniformity sake, all female school children regardless of race or religion must wear the tudung during school assembly and someone protests, Nazri wil then say “The non-Muslim policewomen wear the tudung, but until now they have not converted to Islam”.
The question is not whether to wear or not to wear but is a question of choice to choose esp for non-muslims. If for uniformity sake, then the question is why specifically the songkok and the tudung? Why not all wear a beret, cap or hat? It is still uniformity, right?
Nazri and some lame BN MPs can call you whatever they want but as far as I am concerned, you have my full support.
Comment by normal joe — Tuesday, 28-03-2006 @ 18: 18.11
This is the behaviour of a bully bankrupt of ideas. It is an action to create an artificial enemy to justify his earlier threat of non-muslim interfering in Islam. The artificial enemy is a good punching bag to garner political support amongst those less than intelligent people.
this is also the behaviour of a clever by half politician aspiring to be a champion of a self created issue.
Stay strong teresa, you have a lot of support. To me you are the true champion of Malaysians.
Comment by Bangsa: Malaysia. — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 00: 21.56
This is the behaviour of a bully bankruptand bereft of ideas. It is an action to create an artificial enemy to justify his earlier threat of non-muslim interfering in Islam. The artificial enemy is a good punching bag to garner political support amongst those less than intelligent people.
this is also the behaviour of a clever by half politician aspiring to be a champion of a self created issue.
Stay strong teresa, you have a lot of support. To me you are the true champion of Malaysians.
Comment by Bangsa: Malaysia. — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 00: 25.29
This is the behaviour of a bully bankruptand bereft of ideas. It is an action to create an artificial enemy to justify his earlier threat of non-muslim interfering in Islam. The artificial enemy is a good punching bag to garner political support amongst those less than intelligent people.
this is also the behaviour of a clever by half politician aspiring to be a champion of a self created issue.
Stay strong teresa, you have a lot of support. To me you are the true champion of Malaysians.
Comment by Bangsa: Malaysia. — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 00: 26.26
It is sickening that the Nazis and the likes of them,cannot be objective.Nobody can say anything. Time and again we see the same idiots chanting and warning all not to bring up ‘Islamic issues’,dangerous and sensitive they always say.Isnt Islam a religion that tolerates?Are non Muslims not allowed to voice anything at all? Come on Nazi,by what you are doing ,you are only driving people away from your religion,frightening them.You are no different from all the radicals that we see throughout the world. Set a good example, show the world and all Malaysians you are not them,that you are a good and exemplary man with good religious teachings.God save Malaysia
Comment by countryman — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 09: 13.54
It is sickening that the Nazis and the likes of them,cannot be objective.Nobody can say anything. Time and again we see the same idiots chanting and warning all not to bring up ‘Islamic issues’,dangerous and sensitive they always say.Isnt Islam a religion that tolerates?Are non Muslims not allowed to voice anything at all? Come on Nazi,by what you are doing ,you are only driving people away from your religion,frightening them.You are no different from all the radicals that we see throughout the world. Set a good example, show the world and all Malaysians you are not them,that you are a good and exemplary man with good religious teachings.God save Malaysia
Comment by countryman — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 09: 15.43
the fact that nazri associates the right of non-muslims to not wear the tudung with islam exposes the “uniformity” excuse for what it is. also, see what aisehman has to say, differentiating the songkok (a traditional malay headdress) from the tudung (a religious headdress) http://www.aisehman.org/archives/2006/03/talk_cock.html#comments
Comment by Sieweng — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 09: 36.06
www.aisehman.org, a muslim, have a perpective on this that our PM and particularly Nazri should be ashamed not to aware. Seriously, how is our PM, who is religious trained, does not understand the significance of his ruling?
I sometimes wonder if Islam can be understood by the ordinary person and if not the idea of mixing Islam and politics is nitroglycerine.
Comment by Bigjoe — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 12: 42.32
The real hater of Islam is Nazri because he hates it so much he wants to impose it on others to share his burden!!
Comment by Bigjoe — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 12: 44.11
I will not be surprise if one day, there will be a directive to say every female government servant MUST wear tudung. Is this the way to promote a balance and multi-racial and friendly civil service?
As far as I am concern, the main issue now with civil service is not race bias or what. I want an efficient, hornest corruption free and dedicated civil service whether in police, hospitals, local authorities and everything body that work in a government body funded by tax payers money.
I don’t care if they wear tudung or not. I want them to rival at least 40% of Singapore civil servants’ efficiency. At the moment, they are perhaps 10% of their Singaporean counterparts on a good day.
Come to think of it, why make it compulsory on all non-muslim when the education minister said tudung is encouraged on muslims students and not compulsory. This is blatant inconsistency and sure confusion!
Comment by lee wee tak_ — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 16: 55.51
Copy and past from “piggies”
This morning, Tuesday, I read that 1 MP called you “hater of Islam” and the speaker let it go. If that phase can be allowed I suppose you can say anything in parliment if you are the favoured majority then. I hope the speaker will disallow a molotov cocktail inthe parliment as some people out there seems to latch on to this trend.
Is he the same guy that supported the path of justice when the squatgate clip was aired? In my failing memory I think he was and I admired him for that. Now he takes the path of calling you “hater of islam” when you were talking about the constitutional rights.
If talking about enforcing a constituinal right, which ever country’s constituition that is, contravene a religion then either the constitution or the religion is wrong. In Malaysia, I think both the big C and the big I do not contravene each other at all. It is only when certain people misinterprete it / use to to score political point that will create unnecessary tension and conflict.
“hater of islam?” – I never read/heard teresa kok talking bad about islam. I remember as a small kid, in an argument, we used to say,” I dun wan to friend u anymore” or “I tell teacher”. “hater of islam” expression seems to sound more childish than that and it is uttered when the person who spoke of it ran out of reason in a debate which should not need to start in the first place.
Let’s worry more about natural disaster, soaring oil prices, traffic woes, competition from China, India & Thailand, bird flu and not about a piece of cloth. We tax payers paid for the parliment session and demand our money’s worth.
At the moment, I rather pay a 40% tax on my income, to know for sure that when I cannot work anymore, the government will take cae of me well.
Comment by lee wee tak_ — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 16: 56.55
Nazri brain is not located in the same location as most other human beings. It is pretty sad to bring up ‘sensitive issues’ and use it as a tool to dispense with opposition. His maturity is insatiable. The thinks with his heart. People like this only stagnate the reformation of our Malaysian politics. Worst still the Deputy Speaker did not take a firmer stand. More will come of this modern day disdainful practice.
Comment by firehawk — Wednesday, 29-03-2006 @ 19: 35.59
most BN UMNO are kampong MPs… they think, act and talk like one. how to talk to a budak kampong, when they don’t even understand what is parliment for.
Comment by burn — Thursday, 30-03-2006 @ 04: 32.08
What people like Nazri don’t realize is that technology means that comments like these are reverberated accross the internet and drives a wedge between the races. At least 50% of non-bumiputras are regular net surfers maybe not from home but from office/internet cafe. For the young almost 100% are regular net surfers. These kinds of comments drives wedges between the races and waste the billions spend on national service
Comment by Bigjoe — Thursday, 30-03-2006 @ 08: 12.06
Hi, Teresa ! thanks for being brave eniugh to say this out. Many leaders just dare not say a word!
Nowadays , we really depends more on ladies – the 3 heroine in DAP - all the best
Comment by soon san — Thursday, 30-03-2006 @ 13: 54.33
If Nazri wants to champion Islam be better as for full shariah to be enforce on all muslim which definately he won’t because he lacks backbone and knowledge in Islam. Muslim need to uphold their shariah but not at the expense of the rights of non-muslim. We have dual law shariah and civil, why the argument for uniformity???
Comment by skoope — Thursday, 30-03-2006 @ 14: 05.53
i agree totally with bigjoe’s comment. i can just imagine the chaos that might ensue when the present young generation’s time comes. why are they causing trouble between races when everything is going fine and there are no problems to begin with.
if they can compel policewomen to wear a tudung, i would like to see nazri put on a jewish Kippah, after all, it would not mean that he has converted right? maybe if he does that at a press conference we will all be much more agreeable with his idea.
why the hell is badawi putting uniformity in dressing ahead of racial harmony on his list of priorities? although this only affects a small group of people i.e non-muslim policewomen, it is the significance of this ruling, and the possible after effects that are worrying.
the significance is that the government couldnt give two hoots about your religion and your beliefs.
the possible after effects are, as have already been mentioned, tudungs complusory in schools, in goverment offices, in trains, in restaurants, in taxis..
Comment by iiiii — Thursday, 30-03-2006 @ 14: 39.05
tudung and songkok is an attire related to a religion. Malaysia is still a secular country and uniformity of dress used by any goverment departments, organizations, universities, schools etc should not include tudung and songkok as part of its dressing code. badawi, you are supposed to be a religious and honest person but you are allowing your gangsters to impose a religious attire on others. Touch your heart and soul and think of what you always said, equal for all malaysian, fairness to all malaysian…but are you????
Comment by richard — Friday, 31-03-2006 @ 01: 52.39