The Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) said it will mobilise a coalition of Muslim-based groups and citizens to oppose the repeal of Syariah enactments that are deemed to encroach into fundamental personal liberties.

It was responding to a memorandum submitted on Wednesday by a group of non-governmental organisations and individuals calling for a committee to be set up to oversee the repeal, in order to end to the 'moral policing' of society on religious grounds.

Abim secretary-general Azizuddin Ahmad said the group would also challenge the "culture of permissiveness" that is apparently being espoused by these NGOs.

"We will organise our own gathering of NGOs and call on the people to reject the setting up of this committee. We will fight this culture of hedonism that is gaining ground in society, for which the NGO are even willing to rope in religion," he said in an interview.

Azizuddin described the proposal to review all Islamic laws that allegedly infringe upon fundamental rights and liberties as akin to marahkan nyamuk bakarkan kelambu (punishment that is disproportionate to the offence).

"When they speak of being against 'policing morality', they actually want to live life without a public morality. They want to burn the whole netting out of spite for some mosquitos...yet it is our right to protect this country against declining morals," he said.

'Gradual reform'

Azizuddin also said weaknesses in the implementation of Islamic teachings as and the lack of effective efforts to educate Muslims about their religion are no basis for a wholesale review of Syariah enactments.

Outcry over the wide powers accorded to Islamic religious authorities reached new heights last month after a Jan 20 raid on a nightclub in Kuala Lumpur by the Federal Territory Religious Department (Jawi).

Following the detention of about 100 Malay youths for acts of "indecency", the Jawi officers had allegedly breached religious laws, professional conduct and moral propriety by mistreating and verbally abusing several of the young women.
Commenting on this, Azizuddin said it was not disputed that there are problems with enforcement of laws, not just by Jawi, but also by police officers.

"Police officers have (allegedly) beaten up detainees in custody. But these human factors can be corrected through training, dialogue and constructive criticism.

"Similarly, there can be gradually improvement of the (Syariah) system and implementation of laws...rather than demanding a change of the whole system."

Azizuddin also said any such review would require consultation with government officials, religious scholars, academicians, and Syariah and civil law lawyers.

He also questioned the insistence on inclusion of "progressive religious scholars" in the proposed review committee, and said that they represent a minority of Muslim thinkers.

"We reject any committee that would include all and sundry, including non-Muslims and Muslims without proper knowledge and training to review the religious laws merely on the basis of human rights.

"Leave Islam to its adherents. Do we dictate to Hindu and Christian organisations to change their religious laws, teachings and practices? Furthermore, why do they insist on 'progressive' religious scholars? Religious scholars who merely agree with everything they want? Is that what it means to be progressive?"

"They may come up with a list of 50 organisations and 200 individuals. But how much of the Muslim population do they represent that they want to change the Syariah laws? If they claim to value democracy, they're going against the of the majority of the Muslim population. That is not democratic."

'No justification'

Muslim Professionals Forum chairperson Dr Mazeni Alwi agreed, saying that flaws in the implementation of Islamic laws did not justify an overhaul of the whole system.

"Granted that there are some aspects of Malaysian Syariah enactments and their implementation that do not reflect the Syariah as existing in the Qur'an and Sunnah (Traditions of the Prophet). But to question (all) the laws in themselves is to question God's laws," he said when contacted.

Echoing his sentiments was MPF co-founder and director Zainal Abidin Jamal, who questioned the knowledge and understanding of the proponents of Islamic precepts such as amr bilma'ruf wa nahy anil munkar (eschew sin and enjoin the good).

"If they really feel that certain Syariah enactments are against their constitutional rights, then they are free to pursue the matter in court. Why haven't they done that? Eventually the benchmark is in the Constitution," he said in an interview.

"Essentially, what they want is for Muslims, for example, to be able to drink alcohol in public and do whatever else they want."

Past president of the Malaysian Islamic Medical Association Dr Musa Nordin questioned the negligence of Sisters in Islam to address Islam as a comprehensive way of life. The group was among the NGOs that had submitted the memorandum.

"Their agenda is the secularisation of Islam...dividing it into compartments. Like many other people, they want their rights as Muslims but don't want the responsibilities of being Muslim," he alleged.