Stuurman

Hi I'm not sure if political topics like this can be discussed here so please remove if it's against forum rules. On the old MM2H forum I sometimes posted articles I found on the not government controlled online media like Malaysiakini, Malaysian insider or Asian correspondent. Needless to say I don't necessarily share the views expressed but they are often food for thought and discuss topics in a way not found in the Star, NST or other government affiliated media. This one is from the Malaysia Chronicle:

It was 3am when a 30-year-old female Malay financial researcher was woken up by her flatmate in a middle class suburb in Kuala Lumpur early this year.
Six to seven men from the Selangor State Islamic Department (Jais) had entered her apartment in a "morality" raid.
An anonymous phone call to the religious department alleging a man was seen entering her flat was all it took for the religious officials to descend on her home.
"The men were not accompanied by any woman. They searched all our bedrooms, closets and even looked under the bed as they thought a man could be hiding there," said the researcher who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The incident left her angry and helpless and helped compel her to make plans to leave Malaysia in two years.
The researcher is one of an increasing number of Malay Muslims aspiring to leave this country of 30 million.
In the past, it was the country's ethnic Chinese and Indians who left Malaysia in large numbers for better opportunities that would be based on meritocracy and not race.

The World Bank estimated in 2011 there were 1 million Malaysians who migrated overseas and the real number could be much larger.
As the majority in the country who enjoys special privileges in education and employment under decades-old affirmative action programmes, it makes their aspiration to migrate more compelling and highlights the growing extremism creeping into modern and moderate Malaysia.
"I don't feel safe in this country anymore," the researcher said. "It's like you are guilty until proven innocent. Anyone can make a phone call to accuse another person out of malice or vengeance and, without proof or investigation, the religious authorities will come to your place."
The researcher, who has been living in the apartment for two years, shares the flat with three other women.
"They found cigarette butts on the balcony and said that showed a man was in the house. We told them all of us in the flat smoke," she said. "Then they saw two pairs of boxer shorts which belonged to me and said that must belong to a man. I told them they were mine."


Full article: http://malaysia-chronicle.com/index....id=2#ixzz3MJas

bakedbean

I think it's OK, Mr Stuurman, but that's very polite of you The forum's owners are in USA and I think forum rules probably follow USA regulations. I'll double-check with our new Administrator BEVS anyway.

the troubadour

I would suggest though Malays are still small in number to leave. With the advantages forthcoming unless very politically active why would they?

Chinese and Indians on the other hand are still departing in numbers. Malaysians are in the top ten as migrants to Australia.

Blackey_Oz

Allow an australian to re-edit for our current conditions:-"I don't feel safe in this country anymore," the biker said. "It's like you are guilty until proven innocent. Anyone can make a phone call to accuse another person out of malice or vengeance and without proof or investigation, the (police-farce)authorities will come to your place."

If your a motorcyclist in australia, freedom is finished,
guilty until proven innocent,
the government's whores(you call them the Media) have done a hatchet job on freedom and the basic rights to associate here.
No more is a search warrant required.
The courts no longer have the burden to prove guilt,
the Motorcyclists now has the burden to prove innocence.
Motorcyclists are persecuted beyond belief and are now treated like vermin.
Hundreds, possibly thousands of motorcyclists to evacuate. I'm one of them.

geedee

"The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing"
Edmund Burke

While we reasonable people sit back and let the extremists (of all flavours) run rampant, we can't really expect anything else, can we?

Gozit

I'm not quite clear... Are these "religious authorities" authorities that report to the Malaysian government or just rogues? If the latter could the police not be called?

Twixy

Sad that such "morality raids" still happen in this day and age. Malaysia has so many things I admire, not the least of which being the Asian culture, beautiful women, low living costs, I could go on and on. But when I hear stories like this, suddenly the picture dulls. And I'm forced to wonder if it's all worth it despite the loss of freedoms (compared to the US).

is it fair to assume that such incidents happen in Kuala Lumpur also? Or is the big city known for being much more moderate and carefree than these other places?

Stuurman

No they are not a bunch of rogues but an official Malaysia government entity who have have by Malaysian law every right to interfere the way they do.

These so called Khalwat laws (Caught in Close Proximity for "Immoral" Acts) are not limited to Muslims only, if for example you as a non-Muslim would have a relation with a Muslim women these laws also apply to you.

A while back even a Christian couple from the US got their apartment raided on Langkawi by the religious police and accused of Khalwat

columbine

The Khalwat law is there to 'protect' any Muslims from being taken advantage of in 'immoral' behaviour. If a non Muslim dates a Muslim then the moral police has the right to break down the door to 'rescue' the Muslim.
I guess if you look Muslim or Malay then you have to be more aware of your behaviour when you date ;0)
Just last week there was an uproar by a religous group that Muslim ladies rushed to the stage to hug the male Korean pop group performers! It was on the Star News that the group wanted to know if those Korean performers were aware such behaviour is not acceptable and also asked the females who went to hug their idols to come forward! Some said they needed to be disciplined while some said they needed to be reminded that such 'immoral' behaviour is inappropriate.

InVinoVeritas

Funny that people get so upset by this and it's not really a Muslim thing - in Vietnam the police can enter your apartment if you're with a female who is not your wife. You just have to hope they don't tell your wife!

teejaydee

The incident about which the article was written happened in Kuala Lumpur.

teejaydee

Presumably the police act only based on tip-offs. I think in many cases it is likely to be the wife who tells the police, and not the other way round .

columbine

Not just limited to the 'unfaithful' married persons. Singles too if they commit Khalwat.

InVinoVeritas

I was thinking of committing Khalwat but then realised I didn't know what it was.

Stuurman

After reading your other reply I already had that impression