Five M'sian 'heroes' recognised
Tarani PalaniPublished: Dec 22, 2008 5:49 AM | Updated: Dec 22, 2008 6:21 AM
National Fatwa Council should not have declared yoga ‘haram’ but should have given the green light to the popular Indian-based physical exercise while at the same time specify the elements which it prohibited.
National Fatwa Council should not have declared yoga ‘haram’ but should have given the green light to the popular Indian-based physical exercise while at the same time specify the elements which it prohibited.
"The approach is wrong because when you start by saying that it is ‘haram’ from the start, you attach a negative stigma on yoga. It creates unnecessary alarm when their duty (fatwa council) is to calm the situation," said Yati Kaprawi, programme manager of Sisters in Islam (SIS).
Yati was part of the inaugural edition of Annexe Heroes 2008, an informal event organised by the Annexe Gallery - an art and cultural centre - as a sign of appreciation for activists who fight for the ‘voices of unheard to be heard’.
The National Fatwa Council last month imposed a ban on yoga as it includes religious worshiping and chanting which it claims will lead to the erosion of the Muslim faith. However, some forms of yoga which do not include these elements are not prohibited.
"We can't come with the perception that the fatwa from the ulama cannot be challenged. We as citizens have common sense and we can rationalise. We have some knowledge of Islam. Therefore we need to speak up." said Yati.
"At least the PM has said something but we have yet to hear anything from the opposition," she added.
This alternative view sets the tone for the event which took place at the Annexe art gallery in the Pasar Seni Annexe, Kuala Lumpur.
Yati was one of five activists awarded in the 90-minute event. The four others were Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, playwright Kee Thuan Chye, journalist Shanon Shah and blogger Hafidz Baharom.
A space for alternative stories
Annexe programme director Pang Khee Teik said that the event was conceived to highlight alternative stories not widely reported in the mainstream press.
"I just wanted them to share their stories of what they have done this year and appreciate these working-class heroes who struggle for voices of others to be heard," he said.
And alternative stories that question established views were shared indeed at the event.
Personal experience discussing issues ranging from the 12th general election, coming out of the closet ‘to adopt an alternative lifestyle’, attending church for the first time as a Muslim, to being acquitted by the court for whistleblowing were recounted to a crowd of 50 people.
The award came in the form of a dog tag as a token of appreciation for their struggle.
At one point of the event the dog-tag chain snapped as Pang struggled to put the ‘award’ on to Hafidz Baharom, prompting Pang to jest that there was no budget to purchase longer chains.
Many of the activists also paid tribute to women's rights activist Tony Kasim who passed away this year.
Met after the event, Hafidz said that he hopes that freedom of expression will be fully appreciated by Malaysians.
"No matter what your opinion is, you should be able to say, whether one agrees or disagrees."
"The approach is wrong because when you start by saying that it is ‘haram’ from the start, you attach a negative stigma on yoga. It creates unnecessary alarm when their duty (fatwa council) is to calm the situation," said Yati Kaprawi, programme manager of Sisters in Islam (SIS).
Yati was part of the inaugural edition of Annexe Heroes 2008, an informal event organised by the Annexe Gallery - an art and cultural centre - as a sign of appreciation for activists who fight for the ‘voices of unheard to be heard’.
The National Fatwa Council last month imposed a ban on yoga as it includes religious worshiping and chanting which it claims will lead to the erosion of the Muslim faith. However, some forms of yoga which do not include these elements are not prohibited.
"We can't come with the perception that the fatwa from the ulama cannot be challenged. We as citizens have common sense and we can rationalise. We have some knowledge of Islam. Therefore we need to speak up." said Yati.
"At least the PM has said something but we have yet to hear anything from the opposition," she added.
This alternative view sets the tone for the event which took place at the Annexe art gallery in the Pasar Seni Annexe, Kuala Lumpur.Yati was one of five activists awarded in the 90-minute event. The four others were Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, playwright Kee Thuan Chye, journalist Shanon Shah and blogger Hafidz Baharom.
A space for alternative stories
Annexe programme director Pang Khee Teik said that the event was conceived to highlight alternative stories not widely reported in the mainstream press.
"I just wanted them to share their stories of what they have done this year and appreciate these working-class heroes who struggle for voices of others to be heard," he said.
And alternative stories that question established views were shared indeed at the event.
Personal experience discussing issues ranging from the 12th general election, coming out of the closet ‘to adopt an alternative lifestyle’, attending church for the first time as a Muslim, to being acquitted by the court for whistleblowing were recounted to a crowd of 50 people.
The award came in the form of a dog tag as a token of appreciation for their struggle.
At one point of the event the dog-tag chain snapped as Pang struggled to put the ‘award’ on to Hafidz Baharom, prompting Pang to jest that there was no budget to purchase longer chains.
Many of the activists also paid tribute to women's rights activist Tony Kasim who passed away this year.
Met after the event, Hafidz said that he hopes that freedom of expression will be fully appreciated by Malaysians.
"No matter what your opinion is, you should be able to say, whether one agrees or disagrees."
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