Malaysia ‘sex police’ ridiculed by religious figure

The state of Perlis Mufti Datuk (Dr) Asri Zainul Abidin ridiculed Malaysia’s sex police or better known as the moral police.

Speaking in a forum on the Hudud, the Shariah (Islamic law) the Malaysian Islamic party is attempting to legalise in the state of Kelantan, Asri said the religion doesn’t ask us to go and check up on people, from room to room or car to car, asking for their surat nikah (marriage licence) to find out if they are married or not.’

Speaking bluntly, he said in the case of adultery if there are only three witnesses of good character present and not four as required by the religion, the adulterer would have to be let off.

In Islam, there must be four witnesses (male) or eight witnesses (female) for a case of adultery to be brought to court.

“Not all sins have to hauled up to court,” said Asri.

He said in Islam, gossiping is a big sin, but are there (Shariah) laws against gossiping?

“Do you see the religious authorities sending officers out to haul up those who gossip?’’

He points out that while some things are haram (forbidden) and sinful in Islam, that does not mean that Allah demands all of these to be punished in a court of law, a local newspaper reported.