Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Samy Vellu gave his response on the forum fiasco. He agrees that the forum should be held indoors and in private:
“There should be a more sensible approach to settle the issue and it should not be debated in public.”Such issues should be discussed behind closed doors where Muslims and non-Muslims can raise their grievances. The public forum on Saturday did not benefit any party and angered certain groups.”
He also mentioned that the subject of conversion was discussed at the last BN supreme council meeting while he was a minister (that’s at least 6 months ago). Prime Minister gave assurance to find a solution that will not hurt both parties. Election time, so anything goes.
Thus, Samy Vellu earns the distinction for being the first (and only?) non-Muslim leader who disagrees with the public forum being organised. Well done.
Utusan meanwhile carried calls for ISA (from certain party members) to be imposed on the forum organisers. The reports sounded one-sided since only one group people gave their views.
More amazing is the revelation by Ahmad Zahid that a civil-syariah joint committee being established under Prime Minister’s Department. He said that discussions have been made with Minister Zaid Ibrahim. The committee will focus on divorce, child custody, wealth allocation, etc. Now, the discussion for such cases is to be done out of court between the civil lawyer and syariah lawyer. The discussion CANNOT be revealed in public to avoid misunderstanding and public debate.
Poobalan
I don’t quite understand why people are harping/insisting on a public forum. The issue is solving the problems that fall in the gray area.
Having a public forum will not help to solve the issue, more so when you bring present an one-sided view of the issue. As you saw (as I had predicted before the function), nothing was achieved and in fact it created a lot of ill-will among the different religious groups.
I don’t think Samy is wrong, nor I believe he is not the first or the only one. In fact if you read Koh Tsu Khoon’s comments, he also alluded to the same opinion if rather indirectly.
I will still say that Bar Council was not just wrong but also plain idiotic in arranging such forum. This incident only served to make the inter-religious relations widen rather than improve it.
Killer,
First of all, it was not a public forum. Get the fact right. It was maily for lawyers and NGOs, to help then to deal with cases which involved conversion. In fact, the panelist rather muslims. Who cares what sammy and koh is saying (at least for 20 years they have been saying something right while in power but nobody cares but now i think they just need to shut their moth), the goverment?Indians? Crooks? probly just only you!
BlueMoon
Get your facts right before you post such misleading statements. It was clearly reported in Bar Council’s website that it was a PUBLIC FORUM, see the below link.
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/family_law/bar_council_forum_on_conversion_to_islam.html
Bar Council can only talk about the issue and NOT solve it. That is the role of elected MPs and the govt and other relevant authorities. There is nothing to be gained in real terms by this forum, not even better understanding as most of the stakeholders were not there.
If BC wants to solve the issue it should pressure the govt the way it pushed the govt on the reforms for the judiciary and legal issues previously. And not try to be a hero and hijack the agenda. In the end, it only ended up creating more problems than it solved.
Are we talking about the same Ong Ka Ting?
source: The Star
Forum not intended to criticise Islam, says Ka Ting
PETALING JAYA: The MCA has hit out at demonstrators who resorted to “a show of force” at the Bar Council’s forum on Saturday, saying that it should have been allowed to continue.
Party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, who stated that the party was “extremely upset at the protesters’ actions” which resulted in the event having to be wrapped up early, said the forum should be respected by everyone as the council had conducted it in a rational and peaceful manner.
“This forum never intended to question the special position of the Malays or Islam as the religion of the federation as enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” he said, adding: “Never once were the organisers, speakers or registered guests critical of Islam”.
He was commenting on the unruly behaviour of protesters which caused the abrupt end to the council’s forum Conversion to Islam: Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution, Subashini and Shamala Revisited.
Noting that the speakers included the families affected and lawyers concerned, he said: “The forum should have been viewed objectively rather than emotionally.”
He also urged the Government to reach an amicable solution to safeguard the rights of non-converting family members and resolve problems that arose when a non-Muslim converted to Islam.
Ong said that enough space should be given to discuss the conversion issues.
He said concerns regarding non-Muslims embracing Islam had affected the rights of non-Muslims and created uneasiness among the people.
Ka Ting seems to be more vocal nowadays . We might expect similar from his successor (Tee Keat???) . So mca might able to steal some chn votes fr Pakatan.
As for Samy , since he wants to be in power for next decade he has to align with umno anyway.
hi frens,
Y there was no indians selected for the Beijing Olympic 2008? We’re CAPABLE.
hmmm a vacuum area ….. firstly there must be Indian sportsmen shining locally . I dont see anyone in badminton , bowling , shooting , swimming …yet (use to have one in cycling) . We do have in hockey and football but they have to go as whole team .
im sure that the Gov did not select any indians for this Olmpic. They chose their skin ONLY!!!
In which field you are refering to ?
FYI….malaysia only taking part few sports…
New here. Wanted to say hello.
Thanks,
Andrew McFaul
Andy McFaul