Mahathir selalu membidas orang lain seolah-olah hanya beliau seorang yang benar-benar faham dengan Islam. Kita perhatikan sejak akhir-akhir ini beliau banyak bercakap mengenai Islam, khususnya dalam aspek penakwilan hukum hakam. Seperti biasa ada pelbagai alasan diberikan untuk menukar bukan sahaja terjemahan al Quran malah hukum yang diijtihad oleh ulamak yang diwarisi berzaman. Malah ulamak terdahulu menghabiskan masa mereka sejak kecil sehingga dipanggil tuhan mengarang dan mengkaji Islam. Apakah Mahathir dan ularmaknya lebih pandai dari mereka semua? Yang pastinya lebih separuh hayat pemimpin umno dan ularmaknya bukannya penuh dengan ilmu di dada, sebaliknya sarat dengan wang semata-mata! Saya pasti jika mahathir menuntut di al Azhar, sudah lama gagal dan dibuang terus kerana tidak berguna dan merosakkan Islam sahaja.

Mahathir sengaja menembak sesuka hati, dan seperti biasa apa yang dikaji oleh ulamak terdahulu tidak sesuai. Yang sesuai hanyalah pandangan yang sesuai untuk diri beliau sahaja.

Bayangkan jika satu negara Malaysia memilih fesyen bertudung ala pemimpin umno, khususnya Shahrizat atau Rafidah yang teramat popular? Dapatkah fesyen seperti ini memartabatkan Islam dan mengelakkan kejadian rogol atau liw4t seperti yang berlaku dalam dua kes di negeri Selangor... (Hmmm.. kenapa Selangor ya?)

Atau satu fesyen bebas ala "Sisters in Sin" untuk yang muda-muda? Kebebasan yang diperjuangkan mereka hanya akan mempurak-purandakan negara kerana kehormatan wanita itu adalah terlalu mahal untuk dijamu seikut suka - wanita memegang peranan penting menjaga dan mendidik keluarga, bukannya menjaga rambut untuk dipuji semua jejaka atau mendapat bunga semua buaya! Esok lusa hilanglah dara....

Berikut adalah petikkan kata-kata Mahathir yang mendapat liputan seantara dunia.... walaupun beliau "guarantee" tidak pass periksa ugama. Perhatikan beliau membidas orang atau membidas Islam?

http://www.lycos-asia.com/my/asia/malaysia/ 001024071827.nwg6l5kd.html

Malaysia may drop bill on apostasy, Mahathir raps Islamic fanatics

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (AFP) - 15:18 - A controversial bill which would penalise Muslims in multi-racial Malaysia who leave their faith is likely to be delayed or shelved, a minister said Tuesday.

Abdul Hamid Othman, a minister responsible for religion, told reporters the Restoration of Faith Bill "will not necessarily be enacted in our time."

He did not elaborate but said the northwestern state of Perlis had already scrapped a similar bill -- under which apostate Muslims could be detained for a year of "re-education" -- on government advice.

Abdul Hamid was speaking on the sidelines of a conference on Islamic law at which Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticised Islamic intolerance.

Mahathir, seen as a moderate on religious matters, said Malaysia faced difficulties in introducing laws on apostasy because it is a multi-racial country where marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims sometimes happen.

A Muslim convert, he said, would sometimes decide to return to his or her original religion following a divorce.

Last month the premier said the government had made no decision on the apostasy bill, which would have covered the federal territories. "We have to study it first to find out its effect," he said at the time.

Individual states and the federal territories -- Kuala Lumpur and Labuan island -- enact their own laws on religion.

Mahathir made no direct mention of the bill Tuesday. But in answer to a delegate who asked what action the government plans against those who leave Islam, he said that in Malaysia "we choose not to take any action."

He told the audience: "Some people think the death penalty must be imposed on those who committed apostasy.

"But this becomes a disincentive to those who want to convert to Islam. Then Islam won't spread in Malaysia."

The proposed bill had met with strong protests from some Muslim groups as well as others. Sisters in Islam said freedom of religion must necessarily recognise the freedom to leave Islam.

Abdul Hamid told reporters apostasy was not a serious problem but was being politicised by the opposition Parti Islam seMalaysia (PAS) to win votes.

He said the government preferred to educate Muslims rather than to impose laws.

Mahathir, in a speech to the conference, said Muslims including Malays had become less tolerant and cared little for the views of others when practising Islam.

Just over half Malaysia's population are Muslim Malays.

The premier said it seemed to the intolerant that a Muslim was only a Muslim if he is harsh in carrying out Islamic laws.

"Even when Islam permits flexibility, it should be rejected in favour of rigidity (by such people). The greater the rigidity in the interpretations, the more a Muslim is faithful," he said.

Islam today, he said, appeared to be different from the religion of peace and tolerance as brought by the Prophet Muhammad.

Islam had become a rigid, intolerant and seemingly unjust religion to the faithful and to others because of the fanaticism and misplaced orthodoxy of people with vested interests, he said.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/general/ge2410_12.htm

October 24 , 2000 16:44PM

DEBATE ON APOSTASY STILL NOT RESOLVED, SAYS MAHATHIR

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Tuesday the death penalty for apostates is not implemented in Malaysia because the debate on the matter has not been resolved.

"Because there's no resolution, including on the death penalty (for those who commit apostasy), we choose not to do anything.

"It would be a grave injustice if the death penalty is imposed and is later found to be inappropriate," he said in a dialogue in conjunction with the international seminar on Islamic Law in the Contemporary World, here.

Dr Mahathir said such a penalty might also serve as a disincentive to non-Muslims to embrace Islam and hence hamper efforts to spread the Islamic faith.

He said that while the orthodox Muslims had no doubt about the death penalty for those who renounce Islam, there were those who said that implementing the death penalty was "inappropriate".

Dr Mahathir said that in a 100 per cent Muslim society, it might be possible to take stern action against apostates but in reality there was no such society now.

Touching on non-uniform Islamic laws in the states in Malaysia, he said the situation arose because religious matters were the prerogative of the rulers who had their own religious advisors.

"They believe in their independence and that's why the (religious) laws are different," he said.

Dr Mahathir said the federal government tried to give guidance on Islamic laws but unfortunately, some states were disagreeable.

"This makes their laws different from that of other states," he said. On the government's move to monitor the actions of some parties including ulama who expressed "unhealthy" views, Dr Mahathir said that actually stern action could be taken against them.

However, it was better to have continuous information and education on true Islamic teachings to enable the people to counter such views, he said.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Othman, when met by reporters, said the opposition had played up the apostasy issue for political gains.

"PAS played up this issue because it is sensitive among the villagers. They exaggerate the issue and the number (of apostasy cases given by them) is also false," he said.

Asked on the standardisation of syariah laws, he said a paper on the matter was ready and would be forwarded to the Conference of Rulers for approval.

Abdul Hamid said the paper, among others, contained proposals on procedural matters.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/general/ge2410_2.htm

October 24 , 2000 11:46AM

PM SAYS FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF ISLAMIC LAWS NOT POSSIBLE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government does not reject Islamic laws but it acknowledged that under prevailing circumstances, it is not possible to implement all of them fully, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

Opening an international seminar on "Islamic Law in the Contemporary World" here Tuesday, he said the fact that Islamic laws were largely uncodified opened them to many interpretations, some of which must be contrary to the tenets of Islam.

He said an attempt had been made in this country to codify such laws pertaining to certain societal behaviour and activity but complete codification was not possible because Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religious country.

"However the laws of the country are not such as to negate the principles of Islamic laws and Islamic justice. The punishment may be different but the principles are the same," he said.

Dr Mahathir said the Muslims of today, including the Malays, were less tolerant and cared little for the views of others when practising the teachings of Islam, including the interpretation of Islamic laws and their implementation.

No death penalty for apostates, Malaysian PM says

By WAN HAMIDI HAMID

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia has chosen not to impose the death penalty on Muslim apostates because no consensus has been reached on the issue.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it would be a grave injustice for the government to sentence apostates to death.

""Such a penalty may also serve as a disincentive to non-Muslims to embrace Islam and hamper efforts to spread the Islamic faith,'' he said at a seminar on Islamic law here yesterday.

He also said that, while orthodox Muslims were zealous about imposing the death penalty on apostates, there were others who believed capital punishment was inappropriate.

""In a 100 per cent Muslim society, it might be possible to take stern action against apostates but in reality there is no such society now.''

The issue arose recently when the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister's Department, Mr Noh Omar, announced that a draft Bill to combat apostasy was ready and had been sent to the Attorney-General.

But Dr Mahathir said later that Mr Noh had got things mixed up and he explained that the government had yet to make a decision on the proposed Bill.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Othman said yesterday that PAS had played up the apostasy issue for political gain.

Some PAS orators have claimed that thousands of Muslims had become apostates over the past few years, blaming the government for not being harsh enough.

But Islamic Development Department statistics show that between 1994 and May 1997, 519 Muslims applied to change their religion.

Only 55 were Malaysians and most converted to Islam.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/

From The Singapore Straits Times
25th October 2000

Mahathir slams intolerant Muslims

Wrong interpretations of the religion have made Islam appear uncaring and unjust not only to non-Muslims, but to Muslims as well, he says By WAN HAMIDI HAMID IN KUALA LUMPUR

IN YET another strong message, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad has criticised Malays for becoming less tolerant and caring little for the views of others when practising the teachings of Islam, including the interpretation of Islamic laws and their implementation.

Wrong interpretations of the religion, he said, had made Islam appear to be uncaring and unjust not only to non-Muslims, but to the majority of Muslims as well.

Speaking at the opening of the International Seminar on Islamic Law in the Contemporary World here yesterday, he added that the extreme orthodoxy would condemn mitigation even if it would make Islam a more just religion.

""They would claim that the truly faithful must ignore the opinions of non-Muslims when it comes to adhering strictly to the injunction of Islam.

""That their interpretations of the injunction of Islam might be wrong does not occur to them. For them the more the suffering they inflict on themselves or on other Muslims, the stronger would be their faith,'' he said.

Islam had become a rigid, intolerant and seemingly an unjust religion because of the fanaticism and misplaced orthodoxy of people with vested interests, he added.

Dr Mahathir said rivalry between Muslim groups in politics had also led to each group trying to outdo the other in the rigidity of interpretation.

""Any sign of tolerance or flexibility would be regarded as being unfaithful to the religion. In their desire to be holier than their rivals they have misquoted and misinterpreted.

"The religion is made as intolerant as possible in the process of demonising the rivals. A perfect religion in which the upholding of justice is paramount has been made to be uncaring and oppressive,'' he said.

Islamic resurgence in Malaysia since the early 80s has prompted the Barisan Nasional-led government to embark on an Islamisation process, introducing religious-based banking and finance systems and promoting religious studies in schools, universities and the workplace.

The fundamentalist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) has been pushing the government to be more Islamic by demanding the implementation of classical Islamic laws, including the Hudud law (Islamic penal code).

Owing to Umno's dismal performance in last year's general election, many party leaders and members believe that the best way to regain the support of the Malays is to be more Islamic.

Of the 22 million Malaysians, 45 per cent are non-Muslims.

Most of them are Buddhists, Taoists, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs.

Dr Mahathir himself has never rejected the feasibility of implementing Islamic laws in Malaysia but has said that under prevailing circumstances it is not possible to implement all of the laws fully.

He has also said that there are some Muslims who believe that punishment against the victim, instead of the criminal, would be considered just as as long as it was under Islamic laws.

""Thus, if a girl is raped but she can produce no witnesses then she will still be guilty of zina (adultery) if she conceives.

""While the rapist would not be brought to justice and punished, the girl must be stoned to death because the punishment for zina is death by stoning.

""In the eyes of most people this could be unjust but some Muslims would still claim that in some way or other it would be just because it is prescribed by Islam.''

To correct the situation, Dr Mahathir has urged modern Muslim jurists to look again at the old interpretations of Islam, particularly those relating to justice.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/general/ge2410_20.htm

October 24 , 2000 21:15PM

ACA probe on Perwaja still continuing

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Investigations by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and police into management irregularities in Perwaja Steel under Tan Sri Eric Chia are still continuing, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Tuesday.

Finance Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Datuk Hashim Ismail said the Attorney-General's Chambers had asked the ACA to take certain follow-up actions in connection with the preliminary investigation report on the alleged irregularities in the steel mill.

"The ACA probe on the case is still continuing," he said when winding up the debate on the Second Supplementary Supply Bill 2000 amounting to RM4.935 billion and the Second Supplementary Development Estimates totalling RM938.6 million.

Among the follow-up actions are recording statements from witnesses overseas which were crucial for the case before the A-G chambers could make a final decision on the investigations.

He, however, said efforts to record statements from foreigners faced problems as they were not cooperative.

Hashim said the ACA was seeking the cooperation of several foreign embassies to complete the investigations as it involved the laws of those countries which need to be complied with.

Replying to Lim Hock Seng (DAP-Bagan), he said investigation papers on former Director-General of the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan Sulaiman were referred to the A-G chambers.

He said the A-G Chambers decided that the case be closed owing to lack of concrete evidence to proceed with prosecution.

He, however, said the case could be reopened if there were new developments and sufficient evidence. -- BERNAMA