No News Is Bad News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABIYTjpc2w0 (Supremacy of the Constitution)
Constitution prevails - MPKB cancels fine
KUALA LUMPUR, July 1, 2023: Thank God the constitutional rights of Malaysians, namely non-Muslims, have prevailed with the Kota Baru Municipal Council (MPKB) cancelling the fine of a non-Muslim woman who was penalised for wearing shorts in her store.
The Constitution guarantees citizens the right to religious freedom and of speech.
But the MPKB by-law states that non-Muslims are to be dressed decently, while covering the urat. That is clearly “a backdoor attempt” to impose Islamic values and laws on non-Muslims.
Then again, isn’t the by-law “void” because it breaches the Constitution? Does the Constitution not reign supreme?
What is “dressed decently”? It is obviously a very subjective matter and very arguable.
To the layman, only when one parades in public semi-naked or naked is indecent and punishable by the law. Surely wearing shots is not indecent dressing to non-Muslims.
For now, the matter of the Chinese businesswoman who sells shorts in her store is settled for her but the issue is far from resolved.
Who is to stop the Taliban-like PAS civil servants from oppressing Malaysians again? Only when the unconstitutional by-law is removed, perhaps non-Muslims will be free from Islamic enforcement-related matters like this.
Kota Baru council to cancel fine for non-Muslim woman who wore shorts, says Nga
By IVAN LOH
Saturday, 01 Jul 2023
2:55 PM MYT
IPOH: The Kota Baru Municipal Council has agreed to cancel the fine of a non-Muslim woman who was penalised for wearing shorts in her store, says Nga Kor Ming.
He said the matter was decided after a discussion with the Local Government Department director-general.
Speaking about the recent case, the Local Government Development Minister said that the woman should not have paid the fine.
"The woman should not have paid the fine, as she may have been misled to do so. She wore shorts in her own shop, which sells shorts," said Nga at a press conference in Fair Park here on Saturday (July 1).
"If she cannot wear shorts, it means all her stock would have to be discarded, which does not make sense. (But) the issue is now settled," he added.
Last Sunday (June 25), the Kota Baru Municipal Council fined a non-Muslim businesswoman for wearing shorts in public, which is an offence under Section 34(2)(b) of the council's Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019.
The by-law states that non-Muslims are to be dressed decently, while covering their aurat.
Nga said local governments are reminded that they need to understand the essence of the Federal Constitution when carrying out their duties.
"Malaysia is a multi-racial country and we need to respect each other. We respect the dress code but do not be too enthusiastic when enforcing the law," he said.
"The matter should not have happened and we hope it will not recur," he added.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below its previous postings on this issue:
Monday, 26 June 2023
Better the devil you know …
No News Is Bad News
UPDATE: MALAYSIA
Retract fine on non-Muslim woman who wore shorts, Nga tells Kota Baru council
Shopkeeper has right to dress how she wants on her own premises, minister tells municipal authorities
Updated 14 minutes ago · Published on 27 Jun 2023 12:23PM
Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming says he has asked the Kota Baru Municipal Council not to ‘misuse’ its authority and to abide by the federal constitution as Malaysia is a multiracial country. – SYEDA IMRAN/The Vibes pic, June 27, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR – The Kota Baru Municipal Council (MPKB) should retract the compound issued to a non-Muslim woman for wearing shorts on her own business premises, Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said.
New Straits Times reported him as saying that he has asked the council not to “misuse” its authority and to abide by the federal constitution as Malaysia is a multiracial country.
“This is a non-Muslim shopkeeper on her own premises so it is her right to wear how she wants,” NST reported Nga as saying after an event in Cyberjaya today.
He said besides asking MPKB to retract the fine imposed on the woman, he also told Kelantan’s PAS-led state government to do so.
“This issue has caused a stir among the non-Muslim community,” Nga added.
On Twitter, Nga also expressed his disagreement with the compound, tweeting a Sin Chew Daily article of an interview in which he said MPKB had abused its power.
Yesterday, MPKB president Rosnazli Amin confirmed to NST that the council had issued the compound to the woman on June 25 during a check on business premises, as she was found to be wearing shorts.
She was issued the fine as this was deemed to be an offence under local council by-laws on indecent clothing in public places.
The matter came to light when photos of the compound were circulated on social media, sparking criticism from some social media users, as PAS-led Kelantan has always maintained that its shariah-inspired by-laws would not affect non-Muslims. – The Vibes, June 27, 2023
Better the devil you know …
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26, 2023: Taliban-rule is not only in Malaysia’s corridor but is already in certain states like the PAS-ruled Kelantan.
The PAS religious bigots and its government just do not understand that they cannot impose Islamic laws on non-Muslims because they do not recognise nor respect the country’s Constitution of freedom of religion and speech.
In short, PAS is intolerant and infringes on the rights and freedom of non-Muslims - just like the violent and obnoxious Talibans.
Law-abiding Malaysians who value their freedom, peace and harmony will do well to make their choice in future state and general elections.
To many, they opine that governments from both sides of the divide are the same, and thus refrain from casting their ballots or “not waste time”. That is a folly because, at the end of it, you will still have to live with the government of the day.
Thus the idiom: “Better the devil you know or better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.”
No News Is Bad News reproduces below a news report of a businesswoman who was slapped with a compound and fine for wearing a pair of shorts in Kelantan:
Non-Muslim business owner fined for wearing shorts in Kelantan
The Kota Baru Municipal Council says the 35-year-old woman committed an offence under the Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019.
FMT Reporters - 26 Jun 2023, 1:02pm
The woman holding the compound notice after she was caught wearing shorts in her shop. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: A non-Muslim woman in Kelantan was issued a compound notice yesterday for wearing “indecent clothing”.
The Kota Baru Municipal Council (MPKB) said the notice was issued to the 35-year-old business owner during a spot check by its enforcement officers at her shop, New Straits Times reported.
“The non-Muslim (business) owner was found to have been wearing shorts at a public place and, for that, she was slapped with the compound notice,” MPKB president Rosnazli Amin was quoted as saying.
Rosnazli said the woman committed an offence under 34(2)(b) of the Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019, which states that non-Muslim business owners and their non-Muslim employees must wear “decent clothes”.
According to the compound notice, which has been circulated on social media, the woman has seven days to settle the amount or face legal action.
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