mamakk!!!

[pic source]

via American Chronicle:

When General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, the first-ever Muslim head of the Thai army, seized power in a bloodless coup on Sept. 19, news media around world became flooded with expert opinions and commentaries that there was a hope of peace in the insurgency-plagued Muslim provinces of southern Thailand. Even the U.S., which has been consistent in condemning any military coup in recent years, kept virtually quiet on the coup in Thailand. President Bush even nodded in agreement when he told the interim Thai Prime Minister during the recent APEC meeting that ‘he understood the Thai coup.’

The general returned to the region for the second time in the same week to offer autonomy in the region, which was also spurned by the insurgents with a series of violent attacks. The prime minister even made an offer to allow the application of Islamic Sharia laws in an otherwise secular democratic country. This offer was also rejected by the insurgents with increased violent attacks.

In the final offer of olive branches, the government offered to set up a Special Economic Zone in the Muslim South to help the economy, which was also greeted with a wave of attacks reportedly racking up at least 7 dead bodies overnight. The government implemented a series of other concessions, including the dropping of charges against some 58 Tak Bai protestors, a renewed pledge to solve the disappearance of Muslim human rights activist Somchai and the abolition of blacklists.

In sum, the military-ruled government has offered the Muslim provinces of South Thailand far beyond what is desirable for a united and secular democratic country, but all has been rebuffed by the Islamic insurgents with waves of invigorated violence.

Sometimes it’s hard to fathom what ppl really want…for it to happen so close to our country, yet we feel so detached from it is again kinda sad too.

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via SMH:

NEW YORK: Muslim feminists from around the world have vowed to create the first women’s council to interpret the Koran and overcome two stereotypes about their religion: that Muslims are terrorists and Islam oppresses women.

Many in the newly formed group, the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality, said strict sharia law was not divine because it was created by men and should be changed to incorporate women’s rights.

“I can’t live with a God that is unjust,” she said. “The law is progressive, but those men controlling the law aren’t.”

Girl Power!!!

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dhevi77 wrote:

I always get a little nervous before getting to Malaysia. No matter how much i try to prepare myself, I just am not. The more I think of the notion of “returning”, the more I feel isolated from the reality of it.

And then there are the usual mistakes and misunderstandings that constantly underline my existence there - the misconception by everyone, no matter what race or background, that I’m Malay, not Indian - and therefore by default, that I’m Muslim, not Hindu.

Hence, my nose-piercing gets stares, as does my uncovered head, growing sinfully lustrous hair. I’m too fair to be Indian ( as per the horrifically stereotyped notion in Malaysia that all Indians are the colour of charcoal ) but too well-spoken to be Melayu-mari. Many taxi drivers jump to the proud conclusion that I must be ‘kacukan’, or to be less elegant, ‘campur’ - of mixed parentage. Despite my polite ( and these days plain bored ) efforts to say otherwise. One even went so far as to try and convince me that my parents must be of mixed breed ( operative word being convince ).

Sometimes, we are too quick to judge and categorise people not knowing that stereotype in Malaysia is scary to some…

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More from other blogs:

[more…]

via Asian Pacific Post:

When 45-year-old Zawiah Ismail’s husband doesn’t come home to her after work, she doesn’t stay up all night worrying that he’s out flirting with younger women. That’s because she knows he must have gone to his first or second wife’s bed instead.

“If he doesn’t come home, I just call up wife number one or number two and ask them, ‘Is he there with you? Is he there with you? Oh he is, OK!’,” she laughs as she shares a hearty meal with the two older women and their children.

The issue of polygamy is being hotly debated in mainly-Muslim Malaysia, after the government proposed legislation that would make it easier to enter into multiple marriages – a practice some women’s groups want banned.

It’s ok to have 4 wives but no flirting!!!

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