Jakim should be abolished, says ex-DPM's son

 Posted on 10 November 2015 - 12:50pm newsdesk@thesundaily.com


 Print KUALA LUMPUR: The eldest son of former deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) should be abolished. Tawfik Ismail said Jakim seemed to serve no other purpose than to intervene in the personal lives of Malaysians, and has over the years been intruding into the private lives of Malaysian Muslims.


 "I think Jakim should be abolished. I don't think Jakim should exist. What is the government afraid of? You have 13 muftis with 13 different fatwas and 13 different ways of approaching it (religion). "What is the purpose of Jakim? Halal certificates? That can go to the health ministries, trade ministry. What else does Jakim do? Print the Quran? We have a communications minister," he said during an interview with The Malaysian Insider in conjunction with the release of Drifting into Politics, a collection of his late father's writings during the nation's formative years, edited by Tawfik and academic Ooi Kee Beng.


Naysayers may argue that Jakim is needed to "protect" the sanctity of Islam, but Tawfik, 64, was quick to point out that the Agong, sultans, imams (Muslim scholars) and muftis already filled that void. "Jakim is an advisory body to the government, but constitutionally it really has no role. Islam is the province of the sultan of the state, it has nothing to do with the government."


"National integration in this country is the biggest challenge. How do you integrate the nation if you are going around this route of looking for faults among Muslims?" he asked. He said that during the time of Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, only a small religious department existed in the Prime Minister's Department. There was no minister of religious affairs, and no national outcry over the fact that his father, Tun Dr Ismail, owned a dog. "My dad had a Boxer, and, before that, an Alsatian," recalled Tawfik.


He said all this changed after former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took over and his then deputy, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, tried to infuse their definition of "Islamic values" into every aspect of Malaysian life. This was done to counter the growing influence of PAS, which had never been an issue during the early years of Independence, said Tawfik. As a result, Malaysia today is now facing "Arabisation", with society eschewing its Nusantara roots in favour of appropriating the culture of the Middle East, he said. "We seem to be delighting in coming up with creative ways of 'speaking' Arabic in this country."


Tawfik said it was for this reason that Drifting Into Politics may not sit very well with Putrajaya. "Certain things my father says here are quite interesting. "For example, he said whenever Tunku had a meeting at his house with a group of people ... occasionally one or two of them would go into the kitchen and have a drink of brandy and whisky, then come back and join in.


He admits this. "Yes, it's an open secret, but it's never been in writing by a leader," chuckled Tawfik. His father died in 1973 at the age of 57, after just three years of serving as deputy prime minister. Nov 4 was his 100th birth anniversary. With such records in existence, no matter how it tried to Islamise Malaysia, Tawfik said, the government would never be able to rewrite history nor erase its roots.


[source: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1606694

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)


Malaysia still does not have the moral courage or the gumption to ratify this vital international treaty to combat racism and racial discrimination and all forms of intolerance precisely because it allows racial discrimination and periodic demonstrations by racists and fascists who try to intimidate peace-loving Malaysians whenever they call for reforms and civil rights.


This is certainly not the first time that we are witnessing such expressions of such crude racism and calls for bloodletting. In the prelude to Operation Lalang, UMNO Youth organized a rally at the Jalan Raja Muda Stadium in Kuala Lumpur at which racist and fascist slogans were displayed calling for, among other things, ‘SOAKING THE KERIS WITH C...... BLOOD’. This is documented in the Government White Paper on the October 1987 Affair.


By ratifying the CERD, the Malaysian government would be obliged to enact specific laws outlawing racism and racial discrimination as well as submit regular reports to the CERD Committee on how the rights are being implemented.


A Racial Discrimination or Equality Act


A Racial Discrimination or Equality Act, that exists in countries which have ratified the CERD(The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), is aimed at ensuring that citizens of all backgrounds are treated equally and have the same opportunities regardless of race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, and immigration status. Such a law also outlaws racial hatred and protects anyone who is harassed because of his or her race.


Employers have a legal responsibility to take all reasonable steps to prevent racism and racial discrimination and should have policies and programs in place to prevent racial discrimination in the workplace.






Making a complaint to the Equality & Human Rights Commission
Countries that are genuinely concerned about eliminating racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance would have instituted an Equality & Human Rights Commission and it would be incumbent upon the Commission to investigate any complaint by citizens and to resolve it. If the complaint is not resolved, it can be taken to the courts. The Commission undertakes a wide range of activities to build awareness about the rights and responsibilities that individuals and organisations have under the Racial Discrimination or Equality Act including national consultations, conferences, community and online forums.


Zero tolerance for racists and fascists


Apart from the appeal to international conventions against racism and racial hatred, our multi-ethnic society cannot tolerate any public expression of racial hatred or racial vilification which is likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate. There should be no platform for the so-called ‘Red Shirts’ September 16 rally calling for defence of “Malay dignity” and threatening the Chinese in this country with bloodletting. They cannot appeal to the democratic right to assemble and the right to freedom of expression simply because they have grossly violated the International Convention on the Eradication of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.


Dr Kua Kia Soong is adviser to Suaram, the human rights group.




Note: When is Malaysia going to have signed this Righteous convention: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). We are a multiracial and multi-religious country. Malaysia need to affirm this convention, to ensure  that citizens of all backgrounds are treated equally and have the same opportunities regardless of race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, and immigration status. Such a law also outlaws racial hatred and protects anyone who is harassed because of his or her race.








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[source::: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2015/09/10/no-human-rights-for-racists-and-fascists/]