Detention Of Singer: Is The Perak Religious Department Overreacting?
The Perak Religious Department (JAIP) has ordered a singer to appear before the Syariah Court for “exposing her body” during a performance and “encouraging immoral activities”.However, an indignant Siti Noor Idayu Abd Moin, 22, said she was wearing a sleeveless top and long pants when JAIP officers raided an entertainment outlet in Sunway City where she was performing on Tuesday.
Siti Noor Idayu also said the male officers kept taking photographs of her, adding that she was made to stay in that room until 10am the next day.
“They finally wrote me a notice accusing me of dressing 'sexily' and encouraging immorality just because I sang there,” she said.
The notice ordered her to appear before the Syariah Court here on Aug 6.
When contacted, JAIP director Datuk Jamry Sury said he was confident that his officers had not acted outside of their jurisdiction in issuing the notice.
“According to Islamic laws, a Muslim woman is not allowed to serve or entertain a man who is not her husband in a place where immoral activities usually take place,” he said.
You can read the full report in TheStar HERE.
***** Ironically only yesterday the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah gave excellent advice at the Ulama Conference 2007 in Ipoh. Perhaps the time is ripe for His Royal Highness to share his wisdom with the Pengarah and staff of the Jabatan Agama Islam Perak.
Many would concur with the action taken by the JAIP officers, especially since the director says that it contravenes Islamic law. Others of course may not agree and would question the definition of 'immoral activity' as mentioned by him. Therefore to get a consensus on whether the Perak Religious Department was overreacting or not is indeed a tough call.
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Labels: Entertainment, Moral Issues, Religion.
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/06/2007 10:58:00 AM
9 Comments:
When are all the right-minded Muslims going to stand up and tick these religious perverts off. Siti Noor Idayu was lucky that these morons did not take out, made her kneel on the padang ground and then shoot her in the head a'la Taliban, but from the way things are going, we are coming to that, and soon. Two questions came to mind:
1. Why do they need to snap so many photos and who gets to keep them after this is all over? Or are the photos distributes to all and sundry in the department to allow them some sexual fantasies;and
2. One of the charges Siti faced is that she was working in an immoral place. Do you mean to say that the Rum Jungle Club is a prostitute then or that they serve liquor. If that is the case, then why didn't they schedule raids on all hotels, karaoke lounges, eateries, etc. Why don't they raid MAS? After all Muslims serve liquor during flights to passengers, and therefore such places must be immoral? If that is the case, then why don't they also schedule raids on immoral companies such as breweries Anchor-Guiness and Carlsberg?
In the 60s I had a band that comprised of two Chinese and two Malays who were schoolmates of mine. On Saturdays, we performed for Chinese weddings at "immoral" Chinese restaurants. We were poor and this was the only way we could earn our keeps @ RM40 per night, without burdening our parents, especially paying for our examination fees, book fees, etc. Now if my two Malay friends were not allowed to perform at such places, I wonder where would they be today.
So now if Siti stopped performing because of the raid, who is going to finance her expenses every month? Being a young lass at 22, I am sure part of her income would go to her parents. Is the religious department going to look after them? As for the entertainment part, I believe these religious zealots wanted her to be covered from head to toe while performing. You can be rest assured nobody is going to patronise the club.
To, Siti, take them on, girl!!
I think that Muslims in Malaysia faces a very difficult choice.
It is not easy for Muslims to rebuke the religious authorities. Especially under the current circumstances.
I think the singer Siti Noor Idayu Abd Moin is facing an uphill battle. She will face the law and also public reprimand... which can be quite devastating...
I would like to ask The Malaysian: do the state religious authorities have to report to the state legislature?
This may help to explaion the relative impunity of the authorities over promulgation, enacting, interpretation an even (the selective) enforcements of syariah laws....
Just another step down on the slippery slope towards an Islamic state a'la Saudi Arabia.
There is a steady tendency to criminalise for Muslims whatever is frowned upon based on a very strict interpretation of Islam.
In the past there used to be some gap between what may be criticised by some Muslims but still considered a person's private choice versus criminalisation i.e. an illegal act which can get you arrested and charged.
That gap is fast shrinking. You take this logic to its end, and you end up with Saudi Arabia - any behaviour which does not conform to strict fundamental Islamic teaching is criminalised, and you can end up in jail or beaten.
Do the Muslims in Malaysia want to create another Saudi Arabia ?
By forcing females to don the burka, the Malaysian govt under Abdullah Hadhari will be in for a shock when the Red Mosque tragedy is re-enacted on Malaysian soil.
If it is immoral to sing in front of people who are 'not her husband', then they should also arrest Siti Norhaliza.
When will this stop? Billy is right. We should start standing up and saying these things are wrong. Humiliating Muslims in public is wrong and unIslamic.
luckily she was not taken in a suzuki car then plenty blood then blasted when it was over
Why not set a rule for all muslim performers to wear like a ninja?
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I have always believe that Malay is a race that is blessed with many talents and creativity. When I was studying in the University, my Malay friends are such good performers, they can sing and play musical instrument... remember P.Ramli time? they used to make good movies as well! "Thanks" to islam, they are being suppressed to the point where they cannot show their talent to the world! It is sad that they are not given a chance to choose their own religion, and they have to be put up with all sort of perversion that the islamic council has for them. I am just hoping that righteous malay will stay united and fight for their freedom to choose their own believes and religion. I think that is our country only hope.
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