PAS must uphold its promise to promote gender equality, said Norhayati Kaprawi, public relations officer of Sisters in Islam (SIS).

She said this in reply to a recent spate of criticisms that have been hurled at the women's movement by PAS Youth, especially for organising a Musawah conference entitled 'Global Movement for Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family' last week.

PAS Youth had claimed that SIS had no right to bring up sensitive issues such as polygamy, divorce, consent of marriage, age of marriage and child custody, among others, as they did not posses the relevant qualifications.

Its president, Riduan Mohd Noor, had also challenged local Muslim organisations to come forward and protest against the conference for destroying the dignity of Malays by promoting ‘liberal' Islam.

muslim islam malays 250806 women"I am certain that when PAS agreed to join Pakatan Rakyat, they also agreed to the Pakatan manifesto, which surely contained promises to defend justice and equality for all Malaysians, as well as being open to diversity and dialogue," Norhayati said when contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday.

"PAS must be answerable to its electorate if it is willing to uphold all these principles. By issuing such statements, does that mean that PAS does not support justice and equality? What of their promises to promote progressive and inclusive politics?"

Musawah is a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family. It was initiated in 2007 by SIS and a committee of Muslim activists from 11 countries as a coalition to advocate equality within the Muslim family, especially the rights of Muslim women.

The conference, held at the Prince Hotel from Feb13 to 18, was attended by over 250 activists, Muslim scholars and social policy experts from 47 countries, including Amina Wadud, Ziba Mir Hosseini, Muhd Khalid Masud, Cassandra Balchin and Siti Musdah Mulia,

Liberal Muslim agenda

Meanwhile, the Ulama Association of Penang (PUMPP) has slammed Musawah for disseminating a liberal Muslim agenda in Malaysia and disputing Islamic principles especially Syariah law, and being inaccessible to non-invited members.

Norhayati disputed this, saying: "Naturally, we would invite groups and organisations whom we have worked with for the last few years and who share our objectives and aspirations.

malay muslim islam women"In addition, we invited numerous Muslim scholars, including a local mufti, as well as officers from Jakim and other local religious departments.

"As for groups like PUMPP, it was clear from the beginning that they would not engage in open dialogue with us. However, that does not mean that we do not have separate dialogues with them."

In her opening address, SIS president Zainah Anwar called for more of such conferences, saying they would remedy injustices towards Muslim women.

"Hopefully, Musawah will emerge as a global movement that will lead the Muslim world in becoming aware that the entitlement of women to justice and equality is not something that is foreign to Islam but in fact, central to its religious traditions", added Zainah.

Special advisor to the prime minister in women's affairs and social development, Sharizat Abdul Jalil, who also attended the conference, expressed confidence that the current administration under Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his successor Najib Abdul Razak was willing to listen to the views of different groups.