Abu Hassan Of Chastity Belt Fame: "I Was Only Joking Bradder!"

A prominent Malaysian cleric said his comments that women should wear chastity belts to prevent rape and incest was a joke gone wrong, as rights groups and a top government minister blasted his remarks in news reports Saturday.

"Joke only. It was not seriously meant," Abu Hassan Din Al-Hafiz said, according to the New Straits Times. The prominent religious leader from Malaysia's conservative north said earlier this week that women should "wear protection" to "safeguard them from sex maniacs," reports said.

Religious leaders in Malaysia's conservative areas have in the past blamed sexual attacks on women wearing provocative clothing and makeup. Local Islamic women's groups and other organizations have routinely criticized those views.

Abu Hassan could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Sharizat Jalil said it was more important for Muslims to be strong in their faith than to promote ideas like wearing chastity belts to prevent sex crimes. "If a person is bent on doing it, he would find a way to do it even if one's whole body is covered with metal," Sharizat said, according to the New Straits Times.

Jemaah Islah Malaysia women's rights chief Harlina Halizah Siraj called Abu Hassan's remarks "outdated."

"We have to change the mind-set that any violence against women is caused by women themselves," she said in the Times. Her views were one of at least six published remarks by from women's rights' leaders in the local media Saturday.

Muslims make up about 60 percent of Malaysia's 26 million population. The remaining 40 percent are Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and a small minority of indigenous people who practice animism. (IHT)

***** It's a good thing that the 'learned one' Abu Hassan came out with that stupid statement. For one, it galvanized the opinion of rational men and women while evoking an across the board, strong chorus of condemnation of his primitive, untenable views. The response of the thinking public plainly ridiculed the thoughtless opinion of Abu Hassan and those of his ilk. The next time that one of these gentlemen gets a flash of brilliance and has an outlandish idea to propound, he will think several hundred times before opening his mouth and making a national fool of himself. The fact that he had to do an about-face publicly shows the extent to which his statement has backfired. Shorn off his credibility what is he? A big zero.
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