I promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim

I promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim
8 Aug, 2008

Muslims do not know how to be Muslims. Muslims do everything Islam is against. Muslims are hypocrites. That is what ails Malaysia. That is the sickness of our society.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I promise that, under a Pakatan Rakyat government, Malaysians will never again be subjected to such gross abuse of executive power as we are again witnessing today (7 August 2008). Arbitrary arrest and detention, frivolous investigation and malicious prosecutions shall be a thing of the past. Police officers and prosecutors who launch conspiracies to defame and humiliate the innocent will be severely punished. The use of police powers as well as that of the office of the Attorney General to persecute political opponents will be criminalised so as to ensure a healthy and vibrant democracy where dissent is not only tolerated but also nurtured.

In this regard, every Malaysian’s fundamental liberties will be treated as sacrosanct and safeguarded by a truly independent judiciary guided by principles of utmost integrity and an adherence to the spirit of the federal constitution.

The politically motivated trial launched against me will, Insha’Allah, be the last of its kind. No Malaysian will suffer from this cruel injustice ever again.

Yesterday’s events confirm my innocence from the charges that recently surfaced. The medical report and Statutory Declaration by Dr. Osman Abdul Hamid of the Pusrawi Hospital that surfaced on Thursday shatter lingering doubts as to whether the alleged act ever took place. Dr. Osman’s statement also confirms what we have already stated regarding deplorable actions by the police to fabricate evidence in a manner identical to the manipulation of my case in 1998. Anything short of a thorough investigation into the mishandling of this investigation would further tarnish the credibility of the police.

The doctor’s personal safety is a matter of deep concern to us. Material witnesses in high-profile cases in Malaysia, such as the PI Balasubramanian, have gone missing in the past. I applaud those brave individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to freedom and justice by coming forward with important evidence and I call upon the authorities to ensure their protection.

Yesterday, in court, we learned that the prosecution’s case has, in a manner similar to the botched trials of 1998, shape-shifted from a charge of assault to one of a consensual act. The conspiracy launched against me in the final week of June 2008 is falling apart. There is a hasty attempt by some to patch up glaring holes in the complainant’s testimony. This will certainly fail given the preponderance of evidence confirming my innocence.

The Prime Minister has actively involved himself in this matter in an attempt to derail the process of transformational change in Malaysia and stave off his own political demise. But in soiling his hands with this sordid matter he has deepened the crisis within his own administration. His most ardent supporters among the Malays have also expressed their disgust with the matter. Furthermore, Prime Minister Badawi now faces investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency for his involvement in corruption and money politics.

The shadow of corruption and mismanagement of the economy darkens the legacy of his Premiership. Prime Minister Badawi has still offered no convincing explanation over the huge profits reaped by his family in the Oil-For-Food scandal at the expense of dying Iraqis.

I advise those around him to leave the sinking ship of his leadership while there is still a chance to do so.

Pakatan Rakyat’s reform agenda is firmly back on track and the New Dawn for Malaysia is well within reach. We will mount a unified campaign to win in Permatang Pauh with a solid majority encompassing that constituency’s diverse population. I look forward to entering Parliament on August 27th with the support of my friends in the coalition.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

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That was Anwar Ibrahim’s statement yesterday. It did not come with any heading. But if it did it could have been appropriately headlined: I promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim.

Yes, that short sentence -- I promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim -- which I have chosen as the title of this piece, aptly describes what Anwar’s statement could have been called had he chosen to give it a heading. This is the crux of the problem. This is what ails our society. This is the root cause of the breakdown in morality and lack of values prevalent amongst those Muslims who walk in the corridors of power.

Corruption, exploitation, abuse of power, political persecution, arrogance, racial discrimination, no respect for fundamental liberties and human rights, and much more, are not the problem. These are merely symptoms of another problem. These are just the end-result of the real problem. The problem that breeds all these symptoms of what ails this country is that Muslims do not know how to be Muslims.

Sure, I know, you are going to now scream, “Why target just the Muslims? There are also bad Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and whatnot. So why just target Muslims for criticism? Why not also whack the Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and whatnot?”

The Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and whatnot do not run this country. The majority of the 1.2 million leaders and civil servants are Muslims. The policies and direction of this country are charted and guided by the Muslims. It is the Muslims who practically have absolute say in how this country is run and in what happens in this country. At best, those not of the Muslim faith are merely running dogs of the Muslims. These running dogs lie to their people by claiming that they are looking after the interest of their community whereas they are really selling their community down the drain and subjecting their community to the whims and fancies of the Muslims who are running this country.

Listen to how Muslims talk. They foam at the mouth in defence of Islam. They slander and defile other religions. They declare all other religions as false and their holy books as fakes. They profess only Islam as the true religion, Muhammad as the final and legitimate Prophet, and the Quran as the only authentic book still in existence. Then they do everything that Islam is against without blinking an eyelid as if this is what God Himself prescribed.

No, the non-Muslims do not moralise like the Muslims do. The non-Muslims are not patronising like the Muslims are. The non-Muslims do not talk down to those of other religions like the Muslims do. The non-Muslims do not preach that those not of their religion are the enemies of God who should not be taken as friends the way the Muslims preach.

Yes, there are good Muslims and there are bad Muslims. There are also good people of the other religions and there are bad people of the other religions. But only Muslims pretend to be good when they are actually bad. Only Muslims talk about their religion non-stop while going against everything their religion stands for.

Anwar described at great length what ails our country. Anwar described in great detail what ills our society is suffering from. But all that could have been explained in just one sentence. Muslims do not know how to be Muslims. Muslims do everything Islam is against. Muslims are hypocrites. That is what ails Malaysia. That is the sickness of our society. And that is why Malaysia is a lost cause as long as we have the majority 1.2 million leaders and civil servants coming from just one faith, the Muslim faith.