This is what constitutes “religion”, according to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar:
“If you are to write on religion, then you are supposed to touch on matters pertaining to:
- questions on rituals,
- adherence to God,
- followers and
- anything related to your divine mission.”
It is interesting that the first thing that comes to his mind when thinking of religion is “rituals” – and not deeper spiritual values such as justice and concern for the poor.
Question for Syed Hamid:
Do God and “religion” have nothing to say about justice, human rights, social justice, corruption, and honesty in public life?
What if we see these issues as related to the religion’s “divine mission”? What if God is a God of justice who demands justice and compassion in all areas of life?
This report from theSun:
Syed Hamid on the responsibilities of a publisher
by Husna Yusopnewsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA ( Aug 14, 2008) : Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar today reminded publishers that they must know the terms and conditions of their printing permit, and make sure they do not breach them.
“One of the most important thing that one should always remember is whatever you do must be within the terms and conditions of the law upon which you are licensed.
“If you know the conditions of your licence and it stipulates very clearly, then if you go beyond it, definitely you have breached the law,” he said.
“If you have breached the law, there is no question that should be asked. Instead you should ask me whether we are going to take action or not. But, I am not aware of the instruction,” he said after launching his ministry’s Seminar on Vital Targets (Sasaran Penting) 2008 today.
Syed Hamid was responding to questions from reporters on the issue of Catholic newsletter Herald being given a show-cause letter for writing on politics in the weekly publication.
In its latest issue, which has yet to hit the streets, it will carry an editorial on Permatang Pauh.
A Ministry official had said that they will decide in a week or two whether to suspend or revoke Herald’s publication permit.
Syed Hamid said he was not aware of the instructions said to have been issued to Herald.
When suggested that politics and by-election are a part of people’s daily life, therefore it is not against the law to write about Permatang Pauh as Herald’s permit allowed it to write about religion and daily life, Syed Hamid said:
“If you start to interpret, everything can be broadened. It is a relative and subjective situation.
“If you are to write on religion, then you are supposed to touch on matters pertaining to questions on rituals, adherence to God, followers and anything related to your divine mission.
“If you go beyond that, definitely you have committed some breaches.”
Asked whether he is concerned that Herald was writing on by-election, he said: “Whatever it is, the most important condition for everybody is to be responsible citizens. You must add value to forging unity and cohesion within our society.
“If you apply for a licence to write about religion, we expect you to do that. If you go beyond, we have to look whether you have breached or not because everyone can argue this is a matter of interest, therefore it affects our religion. But I think if you mix religion with politics, then you can create a lot of misunderstandings.”
Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew had maintained that the articles published in its weekly are in line with basic rights guaranteed under Article 11(3) of the Federal Constitution.
“I am puzzled by the Home Ministry’s show-cause letters received since March 10,” he had said.
Herald is circulated to some 12,000 Catholics nationwide.
I cannot think of any labels to brand Syed Hamid because even the most negative of the labels like idiot, stupid, moron, brainless etc don’t exactly fit him. His category is actually … yet to be discovered.
‘Rituals’ in the context of Malaysian politics after the time of Bapa Malaysia = UMNO Malay ….plundering the rest of the malay and giving crumbs to the rest of the non malay.
After that is the part where religion comes in to support the first rule of rituals. …
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I agree with Cinta Malaysia ..lets have the 20 million Chinese Moeslim come and become citizen. That way the UMNO/BN govt or PAS no longer need to insult Islam in the name of politics and leave religion as what it should be – A private and personal relationship between one person with god – no politics, no race, no economics, no anything, its him and god.
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Saiful: I feel that the time is right for me to do my duty as a Muslim and Malaysian by doing what is right.”
Me: I ponder, He said he felt today was the right time to do his duty as a Muslim after 2 months by doing what is right? So, what was right thing to do? Swear on the Quran was the right thing to do? I do agree. But then, would it be taken to mean that the earlier meeting with Najib, Dr Mohamed and negotiating with a police officer and ultimately making a police report was in itself never the right thing? If he wants to do his duty he should in the first place had sworn by the Quran and thereon leave it to Allah to punish Anwar. But he is so passionate to want so much publicity and gaining compassion. By his own words, “it is between him and anwar and Allah”; if that is so, then why he wants so much publicity to proof that his **** was on the line of fire? I am puzzled and perplexed!
Saiful: “He swore in the name of Allah and in accordance to the teachings of Islam and as advised by religious scholars and teachers that I was sodomised by Anwar Ibrahim.”
Me: There seems to be a catch – did he say that he was advised by religious scholars and teachers that he was sodomized by Anwar? He was advised to swear that he was sodomized? Or he was advised that he need to swear? And he said it was done in accordance with the teaching of Islam? Tell me in which Surah gave such teachings on swearing? I have not found a phrase in the Quran pertaining to swearing as an victim; the victim was suppose to get the necessary witnesses as espoused; that’s the rule of syariah.
Saiful: “I’ve taken this oath to prove that my allegations are completely true. Allah is the only place where I can complain to.”
Me: If Allah is the ONLY place to complain, then why did he go everywhere, including to Najib to complain. Najib is not Allah! And he don’t have to take an oath to prove that his allegation is completely true. If the sodomy is true, Allah surely knows; the Quran said Allah knows everything; so you don’t need to prove to Allah that you did not lie. If you believe in Allah, you must also believed that Allah is all knowing and Allah is omnipotent and omnipresent.
Saiful: “I’ve done this for God … and I do not wish to lie to the world as he [Anwar] has done.”
Me: Ehm!!! You did this for God? Oh my God! You can’t be doing this for God; you are doing this for yourself and to convinced us human beings that you did not lie; you don’t do this swearing for God and God do not need you to do this for Him.
Saiful: “I’ve not been hiding but I was quietly gathering enough courage to answer all the allegations against me, especially by Anwar Ibrahim. It needs mental and spiritual strength as taking an oath is not something trivial or easy. The consequences can be very dire in the eyes of God. Nevertheless, Allah has given me the strength to take the oath today.”
Me: Why do he need mental and spiritual courage to tell God? If you believed that God is all knowing, it must mean that He already knows whether you tell Him or not. Of course the consequences of falsely swearing to God is dire in the eyes of God. But if the sodomy was a factual act committed, he never need to fear about telling this truth to God because he already knows that God knows of what had happened to his ****. I don’t need strength to tell God because I know that God is omnipotent and omnipresent irrespective whether I tell Him or not.
Saiful: “This is not a political matter, it is a private matter between me and Anwar Ibrahim.”
Me: This certainly is a private matter between 2 person and God alone. Saiful is right on this. But then he chose to go to Najib for advice; Najib was the first to know. After that, he (allegedly) then went to some specific police officer for advice at a hotel room to discuss the sodomy; thereafter, he … went to … HKL before he went to make a police report. By involving so many parties it was no more a private matter; it has become a public issue.
It must have been a great courage for him to come out now to meet the press after the swearing. The swearing was suppose to be a private matter; but he went to the press to pronounce the swearing for reasons all can imagine. To say that he has “gathered courage” after 2 months while all along he was taunting Anwar and flashing victory signs at the media camera is quite cheap and shows the stupidity of the forces who are behind him. Evil is their thought! Did it take two months for him to gather courage while all along he was blogging about anything he could imagine about his relations with Anwar and PKR? Hogwash!
Copied from somewhere. Have a good day.
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“..But I think if you mix religion with politics, then you can create a lot of misunderstandings.”
Ya ya… talk about UMNO and PAS…
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The joker’s definition of religion clearly reveal his knowledge of any religion.That’s the level of standard of the Malaysian government ministers.How sad.
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[...] We can never be too sure about what Syed Hamid Albar has in mind when he says religious and racial. Because a Catholic newsletter, Herald, has been slapped with a warning letter because apparently, and according to Syed Albar, praying for a fair by-election in Permatang Pauh, and preaching that their followers do the same has nothing to do with religion. Read HERE. [...]
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saiful r … … you see most of the religious followers don’t insult their own religion by swearing you did something wrong or so in your case someone did wrong to you.
in buddhism there is no provision for swearing at all, its pretty straight forward – it’s your on karma to bear if you sin and don’t blame other people for it.
in christianity – when you sin, you don’t swear. you ask forgiveness from god and ask god to give you the strength to forgive the other person that has cause you hurt. you don’t swear like you just did.
in hinduism – although i don’t know this much (perhaps a hindu can help enlightened) but i have never seen my hindu friends swear this way.
in islam – so far my understanding is what is islam is open to personal interpretation of people like you which means do as you like. but thanks for the posting by Mahmood earlier, i gues people who are true moeslim don’t actually swear to Allah on this.
DSAI – don’t follow (and) start swearing too…
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Dear DSAI,
Your faith in God is yours and yours alone. It is a sacred relationship between you and your almighty.
Do not fall for these politically motivated acts in the name of religion. Have faith in your almighty and faith in your fellow Malaysians to see through the desperation of your political opponents.
Malaysians today, be they from the cities or from the kampungs are far more intelligent and exposed than the ‘ruling elite’ would have us believe in the ‘condescending’ manner they address us.
Please keep on the path of bringing real democratic changes to this country of ours without being distracted by these side-shows.
Truth will prevail eventually but you must be in parliament first before the shackles of truth can be removed once and for all from our beloved land.
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Quoted you in my opening sermon for my Merdeka & Malaysia (M&M) sermon series this morning. The congregation looked like they affirmed the questions you asked our home affairs minister!
More importantly, beyond debates it’s whether we can live out and carry out the “divine mission” entrusted to each of us!
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for me UMNO way of islam is really tarnishing the great image of islam.For me Islam is well respected religion, but the problem is Islam in UMNO way they use islam as their tools to get malay support,for me islam in t his country is not the target, ther is no one chalenge islam, Umno just crate a problem so that they get support.I call upon islam great scholars to punish this people who tarnish good image of the religion
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