The girls behind the Miss Malaysia World controversy

The four Muslim contestants who were disqualified from the Miss Malaysia World pageant have been subject to media scrutiny after their dropping due to the ruling that states Muslim girls are not allowed to compete in beauty pageants.

The Star Online spoke to three of the four girls who told us they joined the competition to give them a chance to show Malaysia who they are and why they are proud to be Malaysians.

The fourth finalist, Kathrina Ridzuan could not be contacted for an interview


Continue Reading..

Muslim NGO under fire for beauty pageant defence

Sisters In Islam (SIS), a non-government Muslim organisation comprising mostly women, drew flak from a conservative Muslim columnist today for purportedly putting civil liberties ahead of their religion’s glory.

The women’s group had recently waded into a row over the rights of Muslim women to take part in the Miss Malaysia World 2013 beauty pageant, and raised its concern on the overreach of fatwa (religious edicts) by Islamic officials here beyond the faith’s intent.

In an opinion piece in Malay paper Mingguan Malaysia, columnist Ku Seman Ku Hussain lashed out at the women’s group for what he viewed to be an attempt to undermine and denigrate Islam by one of its own by persistent questioning of the religion’s authorities here on the grounds the edicts were not legislated into civil law.

“It seems for SIS, fundamental rights freedoms are more important than prohibiting Muslims against insulting their own religion,” he said, in the article titled “Apabila Sisters In Islam mempertikai mufti [When Sisters In Islam dispute the mufti]”.

Continue Reading..

Shisha ban should cover all Malaysians

The fatwa against shisha is noteworthy, although it could have been done done much earlier.

The edict creates a double standard in safeguarding the health of people

THERE is no doubt that the fatwa to ban the use of shisha is timely and welcomed. Shisha is no longer a novelty in Malaysia. It has become popular, especially among youngsters of both genders.

They perceive shisha as harmless, more for fun and kicks. This is always the case for habit-forming activities, ranging from the use of substances to electronic gadgets.

Hence, to act fast with utmost resolute is the name of the game. It will become an uphill battle once the habits become entrenched in us.

The fatwa against shisha is laudable, though it could have been done earlier.

The next step is to internalise the fact that addiction knows no boundaries: geographical, ethnicity and social status.

Continue Reading...

In the Christian part of the Malaysian nation, a growing distance from Barisan

New churches, still yes, but only in industrial and remote areas, no longer the type of prime spots the old ones sprouted on.

Wild charges of the "Christianisation" of Muslims.

The ban on the word "Allah" for non-Muslims.

Election fraud. And until it was pulled back yesterday from Parliament, the government’s new Bill to allow one parent alone to convert their young child to Islam, even against the wishes of the other parent.

These are issues which have made the Christian part of the Malaysian nation feel increasingly alienated.

To be sure, this is not a recent phenomenon. Even before the general election in 2008, there was some friction between this group that makes up about 10 per cent of the population and the Barisan Nasional government.

Unresolved questions surrounding conversion to Islam and cases of authorities insisting on Muslim burials for converts whose families were kept in the dark over the change of religion were already festering sores.

Continue Reading..

Shisha ‘Haram’, says Perlis fatwa panel

Some believe that shisha should be banned nationwide on religious grounds as it is supposedly ‘more hazardous than cigarettes’



Popularity of substance among students prompts decision

KANGAR: THE Perlis Fatwa Committee yesterday issued an edict banning the sale and smoking of shisha (flavoured tobacco) in the state.

The ban may gather momentum as Perlis’ move to declare it haram (forbidden in Islam) has also received the support of Johor Islamic Religious Council adviser Datuk Noh Gadut, who called for a nationwide ban.

The Mufti of Perlis, Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya, said after an oath-taking ceremony of the state assemblymen here yesterday that the decision to declare the sale and smoking of shisha as haram was made at the Perlis Fatwa Committee’s meeting in Kota Kinabalu on Monday.

“We hope that the state government and the Kangar Municipal Council (MPK) will immediately enforce this ban as we are concerned that it will become an unhealthy trend in the long run.

Continue Reading..