Please endorse this by noon today 10/06/09

JOINT STATEMENT BY CIVIL SOCIETY ON PAS RESOLUTION TO BAN SIS &
REHABILITATE ITS MEMBERS


9 June 2009

Dear friends,

JOINT STATEMENT BY CIVIL SOCIETY ON PAS RESOLUTION TO BAN SIS &
REHABILITATE ITS MEMBERS


The above refers. HAKAM also refer to the resolution passed by
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) on 7 June 2009 for the National
Fatwa Council to conduct investigation on SIS and banning it if proven
that SIS is against the Syariah and to rehabilitate its members.


We attach herewith a Joint Statement to seek your endorsement so that
together we can effectively defend the right to expression.


Please feel free to widely circulate this Statement to your contacts
for their endorsement as well.


Please send back your endorsement by 12 noon tomorrow, Wednesday 10
June 2009 to c/o: Azareena Aziz or fax to:
603 – 7785 8737


Thank you.
Malik Imtiaz
President
The National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)

_________________________________________

FOR ENDORSEMENT

JOINT STATEMENT BY MALAYSIAN CIVIL SOCIETY ON PAS RESOLUTION TO BAN
SISTERS IN ISLAM
We the undersigned are deeply disturbed by the call on the part of the
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) to have Sisters in Islam (SIS)
banned and its members rehabilitated should its activities be
determined to be contrary to the Islamic shariah. It is apparent to us
that in making the call in the manner that it has, PAS has already
formed the view that SIS should be banned and its activities brought
to an end.
While we respect the freedom of PAS members to associate in a manner
that they consider appropriate as well as their freedom to express a
view on any matter as they see fit, the members of SIS, or any other
organisation for that matter, are equally guaranteed those freedoms.
No one person or organization has a monopoly over the right to express
views on matter of public importance. The call to silence SIS and send
its members for rehabilitation is an act of violence against those
freedoms and their constitutional underpinnings. It also lends itself
to further closure of the already narrow space of public discourse and
debate that a slew of anti-expression laws have allowed Malaysians.
For Malaysia to mature into the democracy that Malaysians aspire to,
it is vital that diversity, even of views, be protected and nurtured.
Respect for the freedoms guaranteed to all Malaysians by the Federal
Constitution, be they members of PAS or any other organisation or
simply individuals, is crucial to this endeavor.
The demand for action against SIS culminating in a ban is not easily
reconciled with PAS public rhetoric in favour of a more democratic and
inclusive Malaysia. On the contrary, the demand is wholly
anti-democratic. We reiterate that though members of PAS are entitled
to their views, the call for the banning of SIS is wholly
unacceptable. As a matter of principle, the question of banning any
organisation purely for their views should not arise at all.
Differences of views must be respected and, if at all, be resolved
through constructive engagement.

In view of this, we urge PAS to reconsider its position and take such
steps as are necessary to retract the call for action against SIS.

Signed by




--
Masjaliza Hamzah
Programme Manager (Research & Publications)
Sisters in Islam
7 Jalan 6/10, 46000 Petaling Jaya
Selangor,Malaysia
Tel:603-7785 6121, Fax:603 7785 8737
Website: www.sistersinislam.org.my

I need your help for this September 16th Hari Malaysia

Dear friends and fellow Malaysians,

I need a little favor from you. I need you to send the message below to all your friends, family and contacts. I would like to make Hari Malaysia a day of Unity (you can copy this entire post and email it wholesale).

As many of you know, for many years my organization and team have been highlighting this message each September 16th via full page adverts in The Star and our Hari Malaysia activities and gatherings.

Today, Malaysians are divided as never before. We need to make things better.

Regardless of who we support, we must not tolerate behaviors where a fellow human being like Najib is called Najis and Anwar, BABI (so called acronym for Brother Anwar Bin Ibrahim) by immature and irresponsible people. We must be aware that the web is also open to our young. Even a ten year old have access to the blogs! It will only help create a mentality that cannot tolerate differences.

We need to impose better standards. We need to be One in this.

Please use whatever powers you have with you, your email list, your blog, facebooks, church or buddhist groups, mosque committee, hindu sangam, social clubs, etc and help me make things better. Zubedy as an organization is still too tiny to make a big impact. I need your help!

Your power is just a click away, use it. We will be featuring the message in our full page advert in The Star on this 16th but your efforts will carry the message further than I can ever dream of.

Thank you very very much!

Let us add value,

Anas Zubedy

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Today 16th September 2008, Hari Malaysia,

Let us agree that …

There are thirteen states, and only one Malaysia
There are many parties, but we are one nation
While we may differ, we are not enemies
We can be critical, but not offensive
We shall seek and embrace truth, and reject deceit
We shall not take sides based on partisan views

Because wrong is wrong and right is right, no matter who does it

Let us all oppose corruption, racism and bigotry
Unite for one future, free from sleaze, discrimination and poverty;
Multiplicity is God’s creation; let us replace race with Unity
Let us see Unity in diversity, and learn to love all, because
When we dislike the other, we dislike part of God’s design,
We are One
We may greet each other in different ways, what we are all trying to say is:
I am pleased to meet you, my brother, my sister Malaysians

For there are

Many lamps, One Light
Many hearts, One Spirit
Many prayers, One God
Many Colors, One Race.

Have a meaningful Hari Malaysia

Let us add value,
Anas Zubedy
http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hari ini 16 September 2008, Hari Malaysia,

Marilah kita setuju bahawa …

Kita ada 13 negeri, tetapi satu Malaysia
Berbagai parti, satu kerakyatan
Walaupun kita berbeza, kita bukan musuh
Kita boleh mengkritik, bukan mencemar
Mari mencari kebenaran, dan menolak penipuan
Jangan sekali-kali berat sebelah pada mana-mana pihak

Kerana yang salah tetap salah dan yang benar tetap benar, tanpa mengira siapa

Mari kita menentang rasuah, perkauman dan prejudis
Bersatu demi masa depan, bebas dari penipuan, diskriminasi dan kemiskinan
Kepelbagaian itu ciptaan Tuhan; ayuh gantikan dengan Perpaduan
Perpaduan yang dalam kepelbagaian, cintakan semua kerana
Apabila kita bencikan yang lain, kita menghina ciptaan Tuhan

Kita Ummah Wahidah
Cara kita berucap agak berbeza, namun apa yang ingin diluahkan adalah;
Saya gembira bertemu denganmu, saudaraku seMalaysia

Kerana

Berbagai pelita, hanya Satu Cahaya
Berbagai jiwa, Satu Azam
Berbagai doa, Satu Tuhan
Berbagai Warna, Satu Bangsa

Salam Hari Malaysia

Salam Sejahtera,
Anas Zubedy
http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com