Why Siti Flipped Her Finger At 'Islamist Hooligans' In A Forum About PAS' Shariah Bill
In her own words, Siti fears that hardliners are taking her away from the true Islam.
By Sadho Ram — 07 Sep 2016, 04:27 PM
Earlier on 5 September, at a forum on the controversial proposal to increase the Shariah Court's powers, Siti Kasim gave a middle finger to hecklers who harassed her for openly opposing the move by PAS
Following which, Siti — who previously led a civil lawsuit to block the Bill from being tabled in the Dewan Rakyat — took to her Facebook to explain her reasons, writing, "I don't regret it one bit. To me, those Islamists hooligans deserve the finger and more. "
The lawyer cum activist Siti Kasim, while writing that the audience at the forum on "Pindaan Akta 355: Antara Realiti Dan Persepsi" organised by the Karangkraf Group in Shah Alam, was full of "Islamists", or Malays who thought they were trying to uphold God's laws but couldn't hear anything that is against their ideals.
"Their minds are so close that they are unwilling to hear anything else," read Siti's post.
She wrote that she went to the Forum as the subject is close to her heart and she was interested in hearing what the panel had to say
"I have been to so many forums. I have asked hard hitting questions but never in my wildest dream (I thought) that someday I will show a (middle) finger in a forum to the audience," Siti writes while defending the labels such as "crass and rude".
"Since when a woman cannot be crass and rude in the face of hooligans and brainwashed morons?" the feisty lawyer asked in the post, that has since gone viral.
In her defence, Siti said she wanted to point out that PAS Secretary-General Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, who was one of the speakers, was misleading the audience in terms of the law. "He failed to mention the real hierarchy of laws in our country," wrote Siti.
"The speakers from PAS and UMNO insisted it is not a HUDUD bill. Of course, it is not a HUDUD Bill but it has everything to do with HUDUD. Without this amendment to the limit of punishment in the Shariah Courts, they wouldn't be able to mete out the punishment already stated in their HUDUD ENACTMENT," wrote Siti.
"As pointed out by the rep from MCA, in which it was conveniently not answered, that JAKIM's intention in a proposal by them was to implement HUDUD to the whole country and they are going to start with the amendment to Act 355. So, there it is... their first round of plan is in operation," she added.
According to Siti, most of the audience in the forum and the Malays in general do not understand the significance of this Act 355
She says that PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's private member's Bill seeks to introduce a new Section 2A into the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355 to increase the Shariah Court’s power to pass sentences.
"The proposed Section 2A removes the restriction on punishment for offences against the precepts of Islam that the Shariah Courts can currently impose: imprisonment not exceeding a term of three years, a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit, whipping not exceeding six strokes or any combination of these punishments (which has come to be known as the '3-6-5 provisions')," Siti wrote.
While she noted that death sentences cannot be imposed under the new Section 2A, but said the amendment appeared to confer Shariah Courts with "unlimited power to impose other hudud punishments."
"Hudud offences include offences like zina (adultery), qazaf (false accusation of committing zina), syrub (alcohol consumption) and irtidad or riddah (apostasy) and according to the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code (II) (1993) 2015 Enactment, punishment for these is whipping, ranging from 40 to 100 lashes. The Bill also seeks to substitute the existing Section 2 in Act 355 with a new section that appears to widen the scope of the Shariah Court’s existing criminal jurisdiction, which is currently limited to offences by Muslims against Islam," Siti said.
Insisting that while the Islamists will ask why is she opposing Allah's will, Siti wrote that, "NO, it is not Allah's Will nor is it God's laws!!"
"We, as Malays must be allowed to openly discuss these so call punishment set out by this Mullahs. Are they really God's punishment? I refuse to be governed by these man-made laws under the pretext of Islam. These people are selling Islam. We have been duped for so long," read Siti's post.
Noting that hardliners are not easy to convince because they have been brainwashed, Siti argues that as a Malaysian Citizen and to respect the rights of those who believe they must adhere to their Mullahs, the people be given the choice to either be governed by the Secular Laws or the Religious Laws.
"They keep saying why do we want to stop them from practising their belief, so we must not stop them. Those Malays who do not want to be governed by these man-made religious laws, should be allowed to opt out," she wrote, adding that she "will never submit to these man-made laws guise under the cloak of Islam."
Ending her post, Siti says that her battle all these while was not because of being courageous and brave but because "I'm in fear"
"I am fearful that these Mullahs are taking me away from the true Islam. The Islam that I know as beautiful and full of compassion," she said.
While forgiving those who have smeared her name and called her an apostate, Siti said, "Read the Quran in the language you understand and seek to understand it from people who have no personal agenda."