As ever, the BBC news website provides me with a steady stream of reports that inspire my anger and frustration. My outrage du jour comes from this article about a Malaysian woman who was raised as a Muslim named Azlina Jailani, but who for the last six years has tried to change her legal name to Lina Joy and her registered status from Muslim to Christian. Malaysia permits freedom of worship, but Malaysian citizens have to designate their religion, and ethnic Malays are predominantly Muslim.
After the Sharia court predictably rejected her request, Lina Joy appealed to Malaysia's High Court for relief. Unfortunately, the High Court "endorsed legal precedents giving Islamic Sharia courts jurisdiction over cases involving Muslims who want to convert."
The article quotes a Muslim protestor who stood outside the court as saying "You can't at whim and fancy convert from one religion to another."
Oh really? Why not? But in any case, the fact that Lina Joy has been attending church since 1990 and was baptized in 1998 clearly demonstrates that her conversion to Christianity has been neither fanciful nor whimsical.
Many of my fellow atheist readers might dismiss Lina Joy's conversion from Islam to Christianity as simply trading one delusion for another, but what is important about this case is the principle that a person should be free to worship or not worship as he or she pleases. That is something very worthwhile that we should all have an interest in promoting.
Here is the website for the Malaysian Embassy in the United States. Send them your e-mails filled with righteous indignation at malwashdc@kln.gov.my.
28 comments:
Malaysia might "permit" freedom of worship, however it does not recognize it. Therefore it is pretty much a muslim theocracy who "tolerates whims and fancies" of others. Yes, it is just exchanging one delusion for another, however, if not hurting or forcing these whims and fancies on anyone else, a person's beliefs should be a private matter and not one that requires formal government documentation.
Malaysia is a really sorry country. an Malay exporter came to the USA recently and tried to pull himself and his group as professional businessmen. Yet in reality, they were as daft as rocks. Most irritating was their mocking of American society's freedoms. Saying 'In Malaysia, that is frowned upon' several times. It became apparent these people were more annoying than attempting to promote business. We looked at them and scoffed with annoyance.It became clear these supposed 'Professional Businessmen' were Malay muslim bumpkins in suits. After some limited dialogue in their suspect English, we say their products, which were little more than a joke. We kindly escorted these clowns off our property.
Our COO decided then that Malaysia has nothing to offer us as we were not anticipating another visit from these clowns.
As a Malaysian, don't expect much from the Malay monkeys. Yes this is an apartheid country. Arabization is growing in this country and is getting worst by the day. Racist slur is even utter in Parliament and the minorities are very much marginalized
yes,thats right.. although im a malaysian but..malaysia is a really sucks..the economy,politic,social and education are WORST....muslim are too fanatic with their religion..and the christian are not given any chances to show their potential to government..as you see.. the leader all are muslim.. well you know..this is an islam country...
Yes I'm a malaysian too and I'm disguisted at whats happening... The religious segregations, corruption and gangsterism... Although there are more percentage of people that are muslim or whatever it does not give them the right to take away thier freedom of choice.. If someone is born into a religion but chooses to marry someone of a different race and not make thier significant other convert to a religion that they are alien to, who the hell is the government to say whether that is ok or not???? They didnt require your permission to enter this world so why do we need to answer to the decisions that we make in our lives??? I respect every religion and person and so should everyone else.. But what the government is doing is showing absolutely no respect to peope of other religions in the country... I'm truely disguisted at the fact that im from a country where they think they are the superior race and religion
yeah thats true.. even i'm Malaysian, i still think it sucks. those muslims thinks their dicks are so big tht they can do anything to us.
the government does not make rules of their own or to determine what's ok or not in religious issues. they're just applying what responsibilities are given as they're muslim leaders. the syaria' law only applicable to those who are born muslim or those who converted to muslim. freedom of worship only for the non muslim. The muslim teachings teaches us to respect other religion. didn't the government gave permision for other religion to worship freely? to build temples, churches without any discrimination? as far as i know, there's no non-muslim-bashing happen in malaysia yet. its just a simple case for a muslim as lina joy 'were' to follow the syaria' law. hell, if u guys dun like the idea of malaysia being a muslim country, y dun u guys get ur ass out from malaysia? ur de 1 who came all the way here n still have the nerve to complain how the goverment run the country.
as a matter of fact, we are the superior race n religion in malaysia. we're the first who got here, mind u. if u r so disgusted by that, y dun u go back to where u came from. maybe u'll be more sattisfied living ur life there. or better yet, y dun u go to indonesia n see how the indonesian treat non-malay people like u. u should be grateful.
To the anonymous guy who wrote on Jan 08, 09
So you're passing yourself off as a knowledgeable English-speaking person now? Or.. Wait.
Another wannabe.
Haha.
Respecting other religions = saying "get your ass out of Malaysia".
If that's respect I'd hate to see the opposite.
Didn't the country's constitution state that we should be given freedom of religion? Then tell me, if ethnic Malays aren't allowed to do so, is there anything wrong with conversion? Or does your religion just stop people from converting just to say "Oh lookie, we're Muslims and we've got a population of 1.61 billion. My people kick your ass."
Just for your information, bigger numbers = more monkeys to take care of.
You guys promote racial unity. Look who's destroying it.
Oh, and if everyone went back (especially the Chinese), then you Malays would be thrown back to the stone age.
Economic breakdown you see.
And so it ends (:
We've just gotta hang on i guess =\
i'm a malaysian too. i used to be very mad with the way the malays rule the country but then i realized a reason why they are slow, dumb and corrupt. we are now living in 2009, but guess what? they are still in 1430 AD...lol.. that why, they are still 579 years behind...hehehehe...
they dont call the country "malaysia" for nothing.. notice the word "malay" at the front? you fucking pariahs, if you cant accept how we govern the country you can just get the fuck out.
malaysia not just becomming a immature country also going to corrupt soon since malaysia goverment treat chinese and indian unfair also malay think chinese and indian is usless in this country because malaysia goverment treat malay too good.
let me tell the truth...no chinese in malaysia means no malaysia...if no chinese in malaysia and this country and this country belongs to england long time ago
if you still not understand ?
go get to study malaya history dude
here, have a cookie with sprinkles
What do you expect from this country? -.-
Even I decided to leave after I complete my studies. So don't worry. I'll be one of them that will be leaving this place for good.
hey you american, i have something to say and thats malay just sucks.
they are so full of them selves and they think they can do anything that they want and just leave the others outside.
malays are idiots and they are fools they are alll CHEE BYESS!!!
At 3:21 AM, January 08, 2009, Anonymous said...
u make me laugh. have u no idea of the origins of this country that u call ur own land.
fyi malays were traders who brought the religion to this country together with the arabs.
check the history logs. it (the religion) was practised once trade was practised. so what the hell do u think i'm trying to say? get ur freaking facts rite before u even start blabberring u bullcrap mouth to kingdom come.
oh and also the main race that first stepped foot on this piece of now cursed damned land were the tribals who've been abandoned by the freaking government.
man some people needs to get their facts right before they blabber
oh hellohello, didn't u learn History? malays were d first here okayyy.
it all started at malacca.
stop bickering will u?
its ur country defend it.
lol u guys are stupiiiiiid.
chinese & indians were from CHINA & INDIA...they were the one who were brought by the traders okayyyy.
Ok Im Malaysian too chinese christian and 13 yrs old
yes malaysia is worst country not just those damn streamyx keep disconnented and the cab fare charging me 25+ more LOL
me
Hi... saya mau pergi ke rasa sayang resort/spa
driver
okok say tau... 30+ Ringgit
me
(thinking : WTF) eh ? kenapa sangat mahal
driver
kerana hotel itu enam (6) stars lahhhh...
me
...okok la drive la
and later in hotels 4 day their breakfast buffet...
"OMFG ! SAME AS YESTERDAY AGAIN ! I ATE THOSE FOOD 3 TIMES SAME ALREADY"
and their swiming pool is huge but full with new zeland get bullied by malaysian bully (they trip to peneng too)
a country has bullied a other country ? WTF U WANT OTHER COUNTRY WAR WITH US ? LOL ! SHIT COUNTRY AND THOSE DAMN MUSLIM DICKHEAD JUST SPEND MONEY ON DECORATION NOT ON IMPORTANT AND THOSE BITCH MALAY MONKEYS CAN BUSINESS TRIP AND GIVE MONEY TO MALAY AND GIVE CHRISTIAN (A SHIT) u know its malay country they dont give us we move to other thats why most people move to england and usa cuz of goverment is shit
@ Anonymous 10:09 AM, January 21, 2009
"Oh, and if everyone went back (especially the Chinese), then you Malays would be thrown back to the stone age."
FUCK YOU CHINESE, UNDERESTIMATE MALAYSIAN NATIVES, FUCK IMMIGRANTS!
For all Chinese n other..
Yes.. Malay rule the Coutnry ''Because'' The country is named ''Malay''sia.. iT mean our country.. for chinese people ur country is china.. and chinese people rule the china country.. so now what the matter?!! Ur country not malaysia but China (For chinese ) SO shudup ur mouth..
LOL O_o
Im lucky to stay at Malaysia even im chinese.. in Malaysia their concept is satu malaysia mean Chinese,indian and malay together.. as u can see.. in Malaysia Chinese people the most clever.. About sport (Footbal) Malay people the most good.. About badminton(Lee chow we) The most good. It mean we in 1 country so no fight..
Some malaysia people celebrate chinesse new year with malay.. some people celebrate hari raya with chinese.. so it fair! Dun complain..We live their peacefull!
I'm a malaysian chinese I'm living in malaysia now the country is getting from worse to worst these days all because of the malays pulling the Chinese and Indians down together with them without Chinese Malaysia would
be a piece of shit look at lee chong wei for example he's a Chinese he made Malaysia proud but what did Malays do except for being lazy the guy who created genting highland is also a chinese he contributed a lot to Malaysia besides the scholarships are mostly for malays many of my friends got 13A's in their spm but they don't even have a chance
to apply for the scholarship but malays with their bad results are able to apply it's seriously unfair to the
Chinese I personally think that malays and Chinese
must have the same benefit. (no offense to the malays just giving my own opinion)
"it's seriously unfair to the
Chinese I personally think that malays and Chinese
must have the same benefit. (no offense to the malays just giving my own opinion)"
I think only those crippled, blood sucking and UMNO MALAYS would mind your opinion! Those educated knows what you are trying to say! And I must add that it is unfair to other ethnics and race not only the Chinese! Everything should be based on merits and those successful should be grateful and help those who are not...
INDEED stupiD AS THIEfS!
I totally agree Malaysia's internet connection SUCKS BIG TIME, and as for the others, I'll leave it to the experts.
To the blogger: Who the hell are you to judge Malaysia when your own country is full of shit? You are a useless person who critisizes other countris and blogs about bullshit while your wife is working her ass off at work.
I agree that Malaysia has its problems, but we have alot of other things to be grateful for.
To malaysians who wrote negative comments: Are you really that dumb to critisize your own country?If you don't like Malaysia, you have the freedom to leave. As for the non-malay malaysians who complain, there must be a reason why you are here instead of your own country( that's because you have better job oppurtunities and a better environment in Malaysia).
Even KIDS of different races can live in peace and interact in school, but it's people like you who are ungrateful. What happened to one Malaysia?
Why don't you live in Haiti and see how you like it.Only then will you realize what you have in Malaysia. Instead of doing something about Malaysia's problems, you're here complaining which obviously wont do anything.
Post a Comment