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Saya #26

Pada hari Ahad, 7hb Disember, 2014 yang lalu, sekumpulan 25 orang rakyat Malaysia berbangsa Melayu telah menerbitkan surat terbuka untuk memulakan proses perundingan berkenaan kepincangan kedudukan dan aplikasi undang-undang syariah di Malaysia. Petisyen ini adalah menyokong usul yang dibangkitkan Kumpulan 25 tokoh ini, dengan berkumpul bersama dalam solidariti sebagai #26.

*Nota tambahan: Pada 3hb Januari, 2015, seramai 10 orang tokoh lagi telah menyertai kumpulan G25 ini, menjadikan kumpulan ini seramai 35 orang tokoh rakyat Malaysia, berbangsa Melayu dan beragama Islam (G35).

Sebagai rakyat Malaysia berbangsa Melayu dan beragama Islam, kami yang menandatangi petisyen ini dengan ini menyeru kepimpinan oleh Perdana Menteri Malaysia untuk:

1) Menilai kembali Undang-undang Jenayah Syariah di Malaysia.

Untuk sekalian lama, adanya undang-undang syariah dan sivil di negara ini telah menyebabkan pelbagai konflik. Undang-undang berkenaan yang mengkanunkan pelbagai “dosa peribadi” sebagai jenayah telah membawa kepada kekeliruan dan percanggahan dari aspek substantif serta pelaksanaan. Undang-undang ini bercanggah dengan prinsip perundangan Islam dan melanggar kebebasan asasi manusia serta menceroboh kehidupan peribadi rakyat.

Dosa adalah dosa, dan merupakan di antara iman seseorang individu dengan Allah. Dosa peribadi tidak boleh dijadikan jenayah.

Tambahan pula, terdapat kekeliruan dan kepincangan undang-undang syariah yang tidak setara di antara negeri-negeri di Malaysia. Undang-undang syariah di semua negeri harus disetarakan.

Walaubagaimanapun, sehingga kini undang-undang tersebut masih dikuatkuasakan dan telah menyebabkan banyak berlakunya ketidakadilan, membawa kepada kemarahan orang ramai, perbalahan tentang bidang kuasa dan hak menuntut semakan kehakiman, dakwaan penyalahgunaan kuasa, diskriminasi gender serta kematian dan kecederaan yang berpunca daripada serbuan terhadap kesalahan akhlak (moral policing). Ini menghakis kredibiliti, proses penggubalan undang-undang, serta keyakinan orang ramai terhadap keadilan di bawah undang-undang Islam.

2) Meningkatkan kesedaran di kalangan ahli parlimen dan rakyat awam terhadap aspek perundangan dan had bidang kuasa institusi agama dan pentadbiran undang-undang Islam di Malaysia.

Perlembagaan Persekutuan adalah undang-undang tertinggi dan mana-mana undang-undang yang digubal, termasuk undang-undang Islam, tidak boleh bercanggah dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan, khususnya perkara berkaitan kebebasan asasi manusia, pembahagian bidang kuasa di antara Kerajaan Persekutuan dan Negeri serta prosedur legislatif.

Semua Akta, Enakmen dan undang-undang kecil, termasuk fatwa, adalah tertakluk kepada peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan terbuka untuk disemak oleh badan kehakiman.

3) Memastikan hak rakyat membincangkan bagaimana agama Islam digunakan sebagai sumber undang-undang dan dasar awam di negara ini.

Perundangan Islam di Malaysia digubal oleh badan eksekutif dan dilulus oleh badan perundangan. Sumber undang-undang Islam termasuklah yang suci seperti Al-Qur’an dan sunnah, serta usaha manusia seperti fiqah dan adat. Proses penggubalan undang- undang ini melibatkan kebijaksanaan dan keputusan oleh manusia biasa. Maka ia terbuka untuk dibincangkan supaya matlamat keadilan dapat ditegakkan.

4) Mempertingkatkan kesedaran mengenai kepelbagaian yang wujud dalam pentafsiran teks dan ilmu fiqah. Ini termasuk kaedah-kaedah perundangan yang memungkinkan reformasi berlaku dan prinsip kesaksamaan dan keadilan ditegakkan, seiring dengan perubahan kini, khususnya dalam aspek tuntutan, peranan dan kedudukan wanita dalam keluarga dan masyarakat.

5) Perdana Menteri menekankan kepimpinannya disamping melantik pemimpin-pemimpin yang berupaya menghidupkan budaya debat dan wacana yang terbuka dan koheren berhubung dengan pentadbiran undang-undang Islam di negara ini, ke arah memastikan keadilan. Kami secara khusus menggesa agar pentadbiran Perdana Menteri menjelaskan bahawa perbincangan secara rasional dan ilmiah tentang undang-undang Islam di Malaysia bukanlah satu penghinaan terhadap Islam dan pihak berkuasa agama di negara ini.

Ia adalah prinsip utama agama Islam untuk menekankan wasatiah dalam kehidupan umat Islam. Umat Islam perlu berpandukan kesefahaman (pengampunan) dan belas kasihan, dan bukannya kemarahan. Adalah dalam usaha ini, kami rakyat Malaysia berbangsa Melayu dan beragama Islam, ingin melihat Malaysia yang adil, progresif dan berdaya tinggi untuk menjadi negara maju.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/bimbang-malaysia-jadi-pakistan-afghanistan-dorong-surat-terbuka-tokoh-melay

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I am #26

On Sunday, December 7th, 2014; a group of 25 prominent Malay citizens of Malaysia issued an open letter calling for the need for a consultative process on the unresolved disputes on the position and application of Islamic laws in our country. This petition is in support of the stand taken by the group of 25, by standing together in solidarity as #26.

*addendum: On January 3rd, 2015; another 10 prominent Malay, Muslim Malaysians lend their support to the original group of 25, making the total tally now to a group of 35 (G35).

As concerned Malay, Muslim citizens of Malaysia, the signatories of this petition hereby call for the effective leadership of our esteemed Prime Minister to:

1) Review the Syariah Criminal Offences (SCO) laws of Malaysia.

For too long, the dual legal system being practiced in Malaysia has led to many conflicts and overlaps between Syariah and Civil laws. These laws, which turn all manner of "sins" into crimes against the state have led to confusion and dispute in both substance and provisions. They are in conflict with Islamic legal principles and constitute a violation of fundamental liberties and state intrusion into the private lives of citizens.

Sins are sins, between the iman of any Muslim with God. They should not be viewed as crimes as it distorts the public image of Islam.

Further, there exist more confusion between the implementation of syariah laws in different states. This calls for a national standardization of syariah laws in all states in Malaysia.

The public outrage, debates over issues of jurisdiction, judicial challenge, accusations of abuses committed, gender discrimination, and deaths and injuries caused in moral policing raids have eroded the credibility of the SCO laws, the law-making process, and public confidence that Islamic law could indeed bring about justice.

2) Increase awareness of elected members of parliament and the public on the legal jurisdiction and substantive limits of the powers of the religious authorities and administration of Islamic laws in Malaysia.

The Federal Constitution is the supreme law of the land and any law enacted, including Islamic laws, cannot violate the Constitution, in particular the provisions on fundamental liberties, federal-state division of powers and legislative procedures.

All Acts, Enactments and subsidiary legislation, including fatwa, are bound by constitutional limits and are open to judicial review.

3) Call for meaningful consultation from the civil society on ways Islam is used as a source of public law and policy in this country.

Currently, The Islamic laws of Malaysia are drafted by the executive arm of government and enacted in the legislative bodies by human beings. Their source may be divine, but the enacted laws are not divine. They are human-made and therefore fallible, open to debate and challenge to ensure that justice is upheld.

4) Promote awareness of the rich diversity of interpretive texts and juristic opinions in the Islamic tradition. This includes conceptual legal tools that exist in the tradition that enable reform to take place and the principles of equality and justice to be upheld, in particular in response to the changing demands, role and status of women in the family and community.

5) Assert his personal leadership as well as appoint key leaders who will, in all fairness, champion open and coherent debate and discourse on the administration of Islamic laws in this country to ensure that justice is done. We especially urge that the leadership sends a clear signal that rational and informed debate on Islamic laws in Malaysia and how they are codified and implemented are not regarded as an insult to Islam or to the religious authorities.

It is a principal feature of the Islamic faith that the “middle way” be the path that Muslims adhere to. When Muslims deal with one another, they should incline towards clemency and mercy, not wrath and severity. It is in this spirit that we call for this consultative process, and as Malay, Muslim citizens of Malaysia, we want to see a Malaysia that is just, progressive and worthy of becoming a developed nation.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/12/07/Group-prominent-malays-calls-for-moderation/

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/g25-growing-with-more-influential-malays-says-group-coordinator

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