"I'm On Perlis Mufti's Side," Says Zam.

To me, Lord Zam is increasingly becoming an enigma. Just when you're about to dismiss him as an out-of-date foot soldier from the 'old school' and an unrepentant government hardliner he comes out strongly against entrenched conservative views and actions. A case in point was his reaction to the controversial 'Takaful Fatwa.' Yesterday Zam once again pulled a surprise when he came out fully in support of the views of the Perlis Mufti on the issue of khalwat raids, as this TheStar report tells us.

The Perlis Mufti has come under some fire for his views on khalwat (closed proximity) raids but he has found another supporter in Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin.

While the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) was reported yesterday as having dismissed Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin’s view that enforcement officers should stop spying on khalwat couples, Zainuddin said Dr Mohd Asri was right in saying that there were other sinful acts committed in the open, which had been overlooked by the ulama.

“It’s about time the ulama start thinking out of the box,” Zainuddin told reporters when opening a seminar on “Merbok – Tourism Prospects and Potential” here yesterday.

He said the act of publicly embarrassing couples found in close proximity would not make them repent or learn but would instead make them angry and more defiant.

“This approach to correct the wrongdoing of others is not the Islamic way,” he said.

While Sisters in Islam had also voiced its support in The Star yesterday for Dr Mohd Asri’s proposal, Jakim director-general Datuk Mustafa Abdul Rahman dismissed it as merely the view of one individual.

Mustafa said he would meet Dr Mohd Asri to seek clarification.

Dr Mohd Asri had said that Islam did not encourage religious anti-vice officers to embarrass couples caught for khalwat in front of a watching public or bring the press along to record the event.

He said that it was the right of religious authorities to conduct khalwat raids but added that it must be done in a reasonable and rational manner.
Picture by Jericho777
An interesting read: Of sex, snooping and open minds