Several Pro-Pakatan Rakyat blogs are now circulating a purported news clipping quoting former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as saying that those wanting to leave Islam should be allowed to do so.
The article was published by Channel News Asia on July 10, 2007. It reads, “Asked about the growing number of religious disputes dominating news headlines, he (Abdullah) clarified that Muslims can leave the religion but they must first bring the matter to the state religious authorities.
“Mr Abdullah says: ‘This is not something that cannot be done. It has happened before. Those who have decided to leave the religion for some reason, they don't want to be Muslims any more, what can you do? If they want to leave the religion, what are you going to do?
“But he stressed that religious officers must offer counselling and find out what was behind the intention to renounce Islam.”
The reproduction of the article takes place amid a media storm where predominately BN politicians have criticised PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar (right) for allegedly encouraging apostasy (murtad), and accuses them of hypocrisy.
“Don’t Pak Lah’s (Abdullah’s nickname) actions also encourage Muslims to be apostates as claimed by Umno lackeys when Utusan Malaysia reported that Nurul is opening opportunities to murtad?
“Pak Lah’s statements were not published in any Umno/BN-controlled press, but only a few foreign print and online media...
“Is it that when it is voiced by Umno itself, then it is not detrimental to Islam?” read the pro-Pakatan Rakyat blog Anak Sungai Derhaka, which reproduced the news clipping yesterday.
The issue started on Nov 3 when Nurul was asked at a forum whether Malays have religious freedom?
She replied in the affirmative, with the caveat “I am, of course, tied to the prevailing views.”
When her statement as construed as encouraging apostasy, the Lembah Pantai MP denied this, saying, “I do not accept nor encourage apostasy at all.”
“I stand by the general stance that after embracing Islam, a Muslim is subjected to syariah, just as a citizen is subjected to the federal constitution.”
Koh Jun Lin Msiakini
So many contradictory statement about religion freedom lately.
ReplyDeleteThis issue raised as a political tool.
DeleteNo one dares to comment on Pak Lah's statement?
ReplyDeleteNegara kita ada kebebasan beragama. jadi, setiap seorang ada hak untuk memilih.
ReplyDeleteKemunculan semula laporan berkenaan dipercayai ekoran serangan keras daripada pemimpin BN ke atas Nurul Izzah Anwar, susulan satu kenyataan kontroversi naib presiden PKR itu pada 3 November lalu.
ReplyDeleteisu agama makin dimainkan.
ReplyDeletePrime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak urged Malaysians to be wary of the Opposition's three main "weapons" which were condemning, instigating and making all sorts of promises in trying woo the people.
ReplyDelete"They must condemn (the government), they must knock you (government) down. After that, they must instigate (the people) and then they will promise.
Delete
DeleteLike I said, they'll promise the sun, the moon, and even the galaxy," he said when opening Gerakan's 41st National Delegates Conference here.
DeleteNajib, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said the people should ponder about the sweet promises made by the Pakatan opposition coalition which in the end were actually nothing more than venomous poison for them.
Is it really something good for the people or will it lead to some catastrophic outcome for the nation.
Delete
DeleteThis is something the people must think about, because to become the opposition, the arsenal is three things -- condemn, instigate, promise.
DeleteNajib said that to be a credible opposition in a parliamentary democracy, a few fundamental conditions must be fulfilled, one of which is having a common symbol.
"In other words, you must register as a party. But Pakatan Rakyat is not registered as a common party nor do they have a common symbol," Najib said.
Delete
DeleteThe prime minister pointed out BN had been using a common symbol, with electoral candidates contesting under the BN banner.
Delete"We go and face the people as BN, but the opposition will go to the people with different faces.
Delete"Symbol not the same ...we are not sure whether they will table a common manifesto ," he said, noting that squabbles over (the implementation of) hudud (Syariah laws) among the opposition pact had been conducted openly.
DeleteNajib said this demonstrated that they did not have a common position and common policy on how this country was going to be administered.He also took a swipe at the opposition's failure in unveiling its 'shadow cabinet'.