‘Muslims who believe in the protection of minority rights would distance themselves from such a mob. However, by not speaking out, we are jeopardising the future.'
Ahmad Kamal: I want to single out the behaviour of lawyer and legislator Zulkifli Noordin for his boorish behaviour outside the Bar Council. By insisting on rampaging the Bar Council, he is acting like someone without iman (faith, belief).
This is scandalous behaviour, so unbecoming of a lawyer, I must say.
I am certainly very saddened that this demonstration has frightened the minorities of Malaysia who are attending the forum to discover ways of resolving problems pretty much created by humans speaking in the name of Islam.
Muslims who believe in the protection of minority rights would distance themselves from such a mob. However, by not speaking out, we are jeopardising the future that we think might be brought about by this New Dawn that Malaysians hope to see come this September 2008.
I make a plea to Malaysians and Muslims in Malaysia to keep clear heads on this.
Muslims have to work with believers of all faiths and beliefs to clear a path (syariah) of tolerance and respect as demanded by the message of humanity in the Quran.
Concerned Malaysian Muslim: It is with dismay that I read the news about the unruly behavior of protestors at this forum, a forum that is legitimate in ironing out problems faced by people around the issue of conversion to Islam .
The protestors showed a lack of maturity and uncontrolled anger, as well as a racist attitude, judging from the photos and reports. These sentiments only go to show that many Muslims in Malaysia are not ready to sit down and discuss with maturity the issues around their relationships with non-Muslims in Malaysia in an open manner.
These feelings surely stem from a growing sense of loss of power because of the changing face of our political identity from one party, one race, and one religion to multiracial, multi-religion party.
The fact that rival political parties are getting involved in this protest reveals that the Bar Council has yet to build good relations with the involved parties.
That the Bar Council has more learned and enlightened people (being uniformly of the highest level of education) places the responsibility of building bridges squarely on their shoulders.
A closed forum with a few people who are in positions to make policy changes to iron out problems may have been a better choice for the organisers. This is what was suggested by Anwar Ibrahim - he was right, if we judge the reactions that ensued. Chong: I was greatly disturbed by the fiery speeches of the angry mob, and it would seem as though some Malaysians are still not mature enough to sit down and discuss important matters in a peaceful and respectful ways.
It gave me some comfort to think that they were only 300 people and that they do not represent all the lovely Malays and Indian-Muslims in our country.
However, there are also lots who feel the same but could not be bothered to protest. The problem may be bigger than just 300 people.
How is the forum challenging Islam and Malay rights? In all the speeches, it was not made apparent what all the discontent was about.
Why can't they focus on the common elements of religion rather than the small issues that divide us? Small minds focus on small issues. Howard Richard J: I am very disappointed that this and other forums on religious issues are stopped. If we are to be a true democracy, we must be able to hold discussions and dialogues on these matters.
We have to be more mature and be able to discuss where we are heading as a country. How are we supposed to solve these religious and legal problems if the Bar Council cannot even have a dialogue or debate on the subject?
Come on. We are all grown-ups. I am sure we all want a more democratic system with greater religious freedom for all, not to mention greater freedom of speech and expression. Kaisim: We are supposed to be educated, cultured and religious people who love to live in peace and harmony. But the way some demonstrators behaved, they are more like hooligans and gangsters. All hell broke loose.
The BN government always talks of open discussions to solve problems, but shouts and slogans like these do not speak well of them anyway, like ‘I represent Umno, stop this forum. You Chinese, Indians, go to hell.'
Why do the protestors incite the Chinese and the Indians? Religion teaches us to do good, and avenues of discussion to solve problems should be allowed when there are controversies. Shouting slogans and inciting hatred among others is not the way to a peaceful solution.
The Bar Council is conducting this forum in its own office and not as a public and open discussion. Also, the police did not act on seditious remarks, as the protestors are considered ‘special people'.
Malaysians witnessed when demonstrators went wild in several incidents. They threatened to burn down the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall during the Suqui controversy.
Some members barged into the MCA Kelana Jaya MP's office and demanded a retraction and apology for his speech in parliament, simply because he had raised the concern of the lack of non-Muslim places of worship.
Why do some act like hooligans and gangsters? After fifty years, we are still over-sensitive, over- racial and have religious issues. Everything is so taboo. Our politicians have failed their duties to speak the language of peace and unity in the country.
JVS: It is disappointing to read about the reactions of the protestors to the forum.
They may be shouting slogans defending their opinions, but what its actually saying to me (and perhaps the rest of the world) is that Malaysians are not mature and are incapable of discussing matters in a civil manner.
They claim the forum is disrespectful to Islam, yet in the same breath they yell profanities and derogatory names at non-Muslims. I thought taking to the streets was not 'the Malaysian way' - looks like it is when it serves the 'right' interests.
Leon Chan: I am saddened by the lack of understanding between our Malay brothers and sisters pertaining to the 'conversion' forum. Yes, conversion forum, not Islam-bashing forum.
This will be a good platform for Malaysians and other nationalities in Malaysia who have converted to Islam and have encountered unexpected problems to share their experiences. It will also be beneficial to those who wish to convert to Islam.
I believe this forum is not to challenge or provoke the rights of Muslims. The protesters' anxiety and anger seem to be self-provoked. Nobody is attacking Islam. Do not be defensive. Be constructive. Think laterally.
I have no other words to describe this group of protesters. An inferiority complex towards their own religion seems to be the problem.
Based on this report, most of the speakers were Malay and Indian, and the forum was moderated by Zarizana Abdul Aziz of the Women's Centre for Change. So why were there shouts of babi, pengkhianat and balikCina as forum participants trickled out of the venue? Why the racism?
We are all Malaysians. Come on, be realistic. Do you mean that if this forum were to be held, the rights of Muslims would be challenged?
As a fellow Malaysian, I sincerely hope that my Malay countrymen and women wake up to reality and are not angered by these kinds of issues. We should be mature and realise that a public forum is absolutely a good thing. We should engage ourselves in forums, no matter what topic they may be, so that we really understand one another. I strongly believe this will only generate a more united Malaysia. Calvin Wong: I am deeply disappointed to find this ‘us vs them' mentality still alive in the Muslims of our country. The Bar Council's attempt to unify the syariah and civil courts is a noble one - anything reducing the differences between Malaysians should be.
I am saddened and disheartened that so many, including political leaders, should choose to bend the issue towards anti-Islam when in my mind, I see nothing in the forum's discussion agenda that could potentially harm Islam.
Is not peace and understanding between men a tenet of any religion? Furthermore, the racial abuse thrown at forum participants was just sickening. Racism? Malays vs. non-Malays? Haven't we moved past this as a society? Or are the tendrils of Umno's insanity truly so deep? J Ding: I agree with the Bar Council's Family Law Committee action in organising the forum on conversion to Islam, which was unfortunately cut short.
As family law practitioners, they would have inside knowledge about the very practical issues faced by their clients when a spouse or family member converts.
These practical issues are wide-ranging and very real to the persons involved - including the rights to property, to custody of children and rites of burial for loved ones.
The practical issues arise not because of problems with Islam, but because of the laws of the land which leave certain groups in uncertainty and with no legal recourse - a legal 'black hole', perhaps.
Some protesters stated that efforts to solve these practical issues should be done behind closed doors and not discussed openly.
However, the impetus for the government to actually take concrete steps to provide certainty in the law would only occur when there is a growing awareness and call for the need for these laws to be clarified. Awareness can only come from open discussion through the media or through forums like the one what was abruptly ended last Saturday.
Unless people are made to realise the very real, practical issues faced by converts or family members of converts due to Malaysian law (not Islam), there will be no drive for the government to make changes to this ‘sensitive' area.
It is also up to the media to make known the real difficulties faced by real people due to the state of the law and not merely echo the stand taken by politicians who would naturally politicise the issue.
After 50 years of nationhood, shouldn't we be mature enough to start talking about addressing the very real difficulties faced by our fellow Malaysians?
Where Is Justice?: It grieves me to see how the law enforcers handled the situation at the Bar Council's forum recently.
The forum was an open discussion meant to deal with concerns expressed by non-Muslims, and there is no reason for anyone to suspect that the Bar Council was trying to incite any hatred or sentiments against any religious groups.
First, the deputy prime minister himself came out with open criticisms against the forum organised by the Bar Council.
Then, you have a group of people who were assembling illegally in front of the Bar Council. The demonstrators should have been dealt with under the Malaysian law, yet nothing was being done to either to arrest the demonstrators or to disperse them.
Instead, a private function was being asked to end for the sake of security. I would like to ask the deputy prime minister, where is justice?
JKS: We should commend the Bar Council for having the courage to go ahead with the forum.
More people should speak up in support of and lend sympathy to the forum and the opportunity to have open discussions of sensitive issues, which were very fortunately conducted by people of a profession who can pick their words more carefully than other types of participants who would be more emotional.
We should also clearly support the rights of those who oppose this forum to picket outside, voicing their dissatisfaction peacefully.
The public should demand that the police and the home ministry maintain law and order strictly and protect the forum participants.
Although Anwar Ibrahim was being careful by calling for a closed door meeting ‘for now,' many people may assume it means ‘forever.' That's not the best way. Let's have both open and closed door forums where appropriate.
Open forums by lawyers is appropriate. The professionalism of the participants and moderator should be the deciding criteria in whether the forum is an open or close door.
Now the controversial part: If entering and leaving Islam were easier than it is now, there would be more inter-marriages in this country, and there would be more mixed race families and subcultures. NEP would make no sense.
That would also mean that a natural and slow integration can be achieved without oppressive laws and big brother politics, and with an all-voluntary spirit.
The difficulty in treating the conversion issue rationally may be the attempts by politicians to maintain an easily defined and rigidly controlled ‘Malay-Muslim' identity to help the political elites hold on to a narrow group's political privileges.
In no way am I criticising Islam the religion. I am criticising politicians who take advantage of restrictions in religion. Dorai Dubai: It's ridiculous! There's nothing wrong with having a forum. We Malaysians are always confused about the conversion to Islam. For example, ‘The converter doesn't inform their family about the conversion until death.' When the family of converter realises this, Jais is already there to get the body of the loved one. It's shame for the converter, as well as the religion. Everyone who intends to convert should inform the family to avoid confusion.
R Rama Chandran: This forum that the Bar Council has organised is actually not on Islam, per se. Perhaps the timing was wrong, what with the by-election at Permatang Pauh around the corner.
Politicians, as typical of them, will politicise the attitude ‘I am (or we are) holier than thou' because of the impending by-election. Therefore, the Bar Council should have postponed it to a later date.
The irony is that Malay/Muslim NGOs are opposing a forum where the main speakers are qualified Malay/Muslim scholars or professionals. Who do we believe? Barbara: It is really sad after all that is said and done by the ruling government in the last 50 years, it has come to naught. We are more segregated than ever before.
The Malaysian race is a myth. What is the opinion of Mohd Shafie Apdal the minister of unity, culture, arts and heritage? Doesn't he have anything to say?
Or is he too busy basking the success of being elected as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)?
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‘Muslims who believe in the protection of minority rights would distance themselves from such a mob. However, by not speaking out, we are jeopardising the future.'
