HUMAN rights activist Siti Kasim has hit out at the Perak religious authorities for instructing both the Tok Batin (tribal chief) and the Orang Asli community to bar Malays from participating in ‘joget lambak’ (mass dancing during weddings or cultural festivals) which is a popular pastime at Orang Asli villages.
According to a circular dated Oct 5 by the Tapah Islamic Administration Office, the ruling was made on grounds that such event involved ritualistic worshipping of idols, alcohol consumption and hand-holding/hugging between unmarried couples, among others.
“What an irritant … it’s getting worse that the religious authorities now want to control the lives of the Malays and now even Orang Asli as well,” the Orang Asli advocate fumed in a Facebook video.
“Don’t these religious authority folks have something better to do till they only think of wanting to control and restrict the freedom of the Malays?
“As it is, Malay Muslim women are already prohibited from entering beauty pageants or can’t freely participate in sporting activities … I hope my Malay brethren realise how the religious authorities are treating us as a brainless doll till they have the rights to dictate what we can and cannot do.”
If indeed people manning the religious bodies have nothing better to do, Siti Kasim urged them “to monitor madrasah/tahfiz schools whereby allegations of sodomy and rape on the pupils are aplenty by ustaz in those schools”.
“Instead of going down to the ground to rid the GISBH kutu (literally, fleas) as per the decree of Sultan Nazrin, these people choose to become busybody by policing how people should lead their lives … it’s about time to stop this nonsense which has gone out of hands.”
For the record, Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah has called for efforts to halt the activities of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISB) as remnant of the banned Al-Arqam sect has deviated from the true teachings of Islam after having examined a report prepared by the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk).
“Please don’t be disrespectful towards the Orang Asli as well as Malays like us who’re able to think what’s best for us,” pleaded the 61-year-old legal eagle.
“Are you thinking that you possess a better moral value than the Orang Asli? Do you know that their attitude, mind and lifestyle are far better than yours? Don’t assume that just because they aren’t Muslims, they aren’t pursuing a moral lifestyle.
“If you don’t wish to have fun time, it’s fine but there’s no need to go to the extent of wanting to save us from hell … Let us ourselves be answerable to God directly; we need not be answerable to you for you’re not our jailer.
‘We know our rights, therefore stop telling what the Malays and Orang Asli can do so long as we don’t cross the line.” – Oct 10, 2024
