It has been a year since G25 emerged as a civil society organisation with an Open Letter to Malaysians dated 7 December 2014. Since then, we have issued a number of public statements relating to the administration of Islam as well as on governance issues. In addition, we have organised two successful public forums in Penang and Kuala Lumpur to discuss the concepts of maqasid shariah and wassatiyah, which the government is emphasising as the way forward for this predominantly Muslim country. G25 has embraced these two Islamic principles of moderation as the theme for our forums (Islam in A Constitutional Democracy) as well as for the G25 book (Breaking The Silence), which was graciously launc

As 2015 comes to a close, Malaysians can look back at a year rocked by racial and religious flare-ups, and dampened by rising living costs brought on by price hikes and a new consumption tax. Yet, despite the gloom, there exist everyday Malaysians who have emerged as inspirational figures – whether it is because they battled injustice from religious authorities, or rallied thousands to sleep on the streets of the capital for a better tomorrow. The Malaysian Insider salutes the following “Notable Malaysians of the year” whom we believe embody the best of all good values and have made a positive impact on and contributed to society. Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin As the face of G25, the former judg

G25 representative Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin’s remarks about khalwat laws had drawn ire from conservative Muslim leaders, who accused the group of being deviant, and even sparked a sedition investigation against her KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — A year older now, G25 asserted today its obligation to speak up for Malaysians whose rights are at risk of being violated and added that its members are well-versed enough on the law to do so. The group of Malay retired top civil servants also said it consults with scholars before issuing statements on Islamic issues, amid controversy surrounding the pro-moderation group’s proposal to review Shariah laws that prohibit khalwat (close proximity). “As denial o

Sesiapa sahaja berhak mengutarakan pandangan dalam soal agama asalkan mereka memiliki hujah yang kuat. PETALING JAYA: Sesiapa sahaja boleh bercakap dalam soal agama jika mereka mempunyai hujah yang kuat bagi menyokong pandangan itu, kata pensyarah undang-undang, Dr Azmi Sharom. Beliau menyangkal kenyataan Presiden Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), Datuk Ibrahim Ali yang menyifatkan jurucakap kumpulan G25 Datuk Noor Faridah Ariffin tidak layak bercakap soal agama kerana dilihat tidak mempunyai pengetahuan mendalam tentang agama Islam. “Isu siapa yang layak atau tidak sepatutnya tidak timbul. Sesiapa sahaja boleh bercakap dalam soal agama asalkan dapat menjustifikasikan pandangann

The role of civil society in bringing about social and political change through peaceful means has been recognised as an important part of the democratic process throughout the world. However, in Malaysia this recognition is sadly lacking. On top of it all, there is a concerted effort being made by certain agencies both within and outside the government to defile those civil society organisations that have progressive views, especially on matters of race, religion, human rights and constitutional freedoms. Because their views are different, they have been described as liberal and pro­Western, with threats of being charged under the Sedition Act. The experience in advanced countries shows tha

JOHOR BARU: Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has made it clear that he is above politics and does not favour any politician. He also feels that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak should be given a chance as every Malaysian prime minister had also made mistakes in the past. During an hour-long exclusive interview to wrap up the year, the Johor Ruler spoke emotionally on an array of issues, including his late son Tunku Laksamana Tunku Abdul Jalil, as well as his relations with the Prime Minister and former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. He also spoke on the dangers of vaping and why it had to be banned immediately, describing it as a “technology

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — G25, which has been accused of being deviant over its criticism of khalwat laws, says it is not aiming to “reform Islam”, but only to review Shariah legislation that is unconstitutional and which violate Islamic legal principles. Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, a former Sessions Court judge who represents the group of Malay retired senior civil servants, points out that fatwa (religious edicts), for example, are gazetted into binding rules in Malaysia, even though they are merely a voluntary and optional concept in Islam. In an exclusive interview with Malay Mail Online here, Noor Farida talks about the support of the royalty for G25’s work, her fears for Malaysia amid extr

DEC 25 — It was inevitable from the beginning of this venture that we would arrive at this moment. From the very first letter by the yet-to-be-called G25 in late 2014, they already irked the religious authorities. After all, they were “encroaching” on the latter’s territory and our ulamak of all varieties were not used to challenges by people of such prominence. In that open letter, the group led by their now infamous spokesperson Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, called for debate and open dialogue on the application of Islamic law in Malaysia. Like any activist of the Malaysian Resistance (to shamelessly borrow a trending Star Wars term), I was deeply moved by the inception of the G25 movement. W

Farida disiasat dibawah Seksyen 4(1) Akta Hasutan berhubung seruan mengkaji semula undang-undang berkenaan khalwat. PETALING JAYA: Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (Suhakam) mendesak pemerintah supaya mengambil tindakan yang perlu bagi menegakkan hak wanita untuk meluahkan dan menyuarakan pendapat tanpa diskriminasi atau rasa takut. Pengerusinya, Tan Sri Hasmy Agam berkata ancaman berbaur seks terhadap jurucakap G25, Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, yang disusuli dengan siasatan polis terhadap bekas diplomat itu menunjukkan masih banyak perkara yang perlu dilakukan. “Dalam memenuhi tanggungjawab sebagai Negara Pihak kepada CEDAW, Kerajaan perlu terus komited untuk membuat perubahan dalam das

TIME columnist Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA champion and league Most Valuable Player. He is also a celebrated author, filmmaker and education ambassador whose life and career are the subject of Minority of One, a new documentary on HBO Sports. 'The campaign against Muslim Americans spits in the face of everything Christmas stands for' Although I am Muslim, I have a deep affection and respect for Christmas. Affection because I was raised Catholic and the holiday season is a nostalgic hug as comforting as a warm crackling fire and hot apple cider. Respect because praising the significance of the birth of Jesus is an important part of the Muslim faith. The Quran, Islam’s holy book, reveres Je

KUALA LUMPUR: Judges should have a change of mindset, especially in dealing with cases related to fundamental rights, Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus said. The retired Court of Appeal judge said the judgment of several cases recently showed that the judiciary was “moving backwards”. “The future of the judiciary does not look good,” he said in a report by Sin Chew Daily while speaking at a recent forum organised by the Bar Council here. One of the cases which he singled out was that of Universiti Malaya law lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Sharom, who was charged with making seditious comments concerning the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis. He spoke on a host of issues including the need for the

THE Dual Language Programme (DLP) will kick off come January with 300 national primary and secondary schools taking part. In this pilot programme, Mathematics, Science, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Design Technology will be taught in English. For the coming year, the programme will be offered to Year One and Four in primary schools and Form One in secondary schools. There are 148 primary schools and 152 secondary schools approved nationwide. The full list of the schools can be viewed here. However, some secondary schools may still conduct the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English soft landing programme (PPSMI) regardless of whether they are DL

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin (pic), a member of the group of eminent Malays known as G25 says she is not aware she is being investigated under the Sedition Act. Noor Farida, who has been heavily criticised after calling for a stop to khalwat (close proximity) raids on homes, said the police had not contacted her over the matter. "I only learnt about it from an online news portal," she said. Malacca police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye confirmed that they were investigating Farida based on police reports lodged against her. He said they were investigating the allegation under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act. Farida had reportedly called for a review of Islamic laws pertaining to kha

JAKIM is the country’s Department of Islamic Development. Placed under the Prime Minister’s Office, it receives almost RM900 million every year to fund its activities. Like Saudi Arabia, we have a Minister (and Deputy Minister) in charge of Islam, but this makes us different from Indonesia – the largest Muslim country – which has a Minister who oversees all religious affairs rather than those related to Islam alone. This Minister’s portfolio covers other faiths that Indonesia’s Constitution recognises; the budget for this portfolio is also nowhere near as large as Jakim’s. In Malaysia, Islamic matters have to be administered by a Federal Minister and a Deputy, not to mention the state religi

DYMM Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah's full speech Link to article in: NST Utusan Malaaysia The Malay Mail The Malaysian Reserve The Borneo Post Malaysiakini

KARACHI, Pakistan — I worry about Muslims. Islam teaches me to care about all human beings, and animals too, but life is short and I can’t even find enough time to worry about all the Muslims. I don’t worry too much about the Muslims who face racial slurs in Europe and America, the ones who are suspected of harboring murderous thoughts at their workplaces or those who are picked out of immigration queues and asked awkward questions about their luggage and their ancestors. I tell myself that at the end of their humiliating journeys they can expect privileges like running water, electricity and tainted promises of equality. I do worry about the Muslims who face extinction at the hands of other

Two weeks ago, an internal Malaysian police memo was leaked to the media. The leak came after Malaysian Defense Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said he and several other Malaysian leaders were on the IS hit list. The memo gave details of a November 15 meeting between the militant groups Abu Sayyaf, the Islamic State (IS), and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), in Sulu, the southern Muslim­ majority part of the Philippines. Attendees passed several resolutions at the meeting, including regarding mounting attacks in Malaysia, in particular Kuala Lumpur and Sabah in eastern Malaysia. The report mentioned that eight Abu Sayyaf and IS suicide bombers were already on the ground in Sabah, whil

Kami ingin menzahirkan kebimbangan ke atas kenyataan-kenyataan yang mengecam dan berbentuk ugutan kepada salah seorang ahli G25, Dato’ Noor Farida Ariffin, berikutan kenyataan mengenai undang-undang khalwat yang dikeluarkan pada sidang media selepas forum G25 “Islam di dalam Perlembagaan Demokrasi” pada 6 Disember 2015 lalu. Pihak yang berminat dengan usaha G25 seharusnya menumpukan perhatian kepada niat murni G25 untuk memperbaiki keadaan di Malaysia yang kini penuh dengan cabaran. Tujuan sidang media tersebut adalah untuk menerangkan dengan lebih lanjut mengenai Kenyataan Penegasan G25 dan cadangan untuk menubuhkan sebuah jawatankuasa pakar perunding bermatlamat untuk menyelaraskan undang-

A delegate from Kedah said at the UMNO General Assembly which ended on Saturday recently that looking at recent incidents in the country, it would be good to revive the spirit of Rukunegara. Many others have made the same suggestion but to no avail. Instead the country has been introduced to one slogan after another with each change of leadership, forgetting the great efforts that were made in the aftermath of the May 1969 riots to create a national ideology that would rally all the races to work towards achieving the common objective of a united nation. The Rukunegara was proclaimed on 31 August 1970, and was adopted as the document guiding the implementation of the new strategy in nationa

The confusion between the constitutional definition and the understanding of the word Malay is because it is used in many contexts. MOST people understand the term Malay as referring to an ethnic group and therefore look askance at the Federal Constitution as having a racial basis. We are suggesting that it does not. The first part of the definition of Malay in Article 160 of the Constitution reads: “Malay” means a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom ... This oft-quoted meaning tends to suggest that: (1) anyone could by religious conversion and adoption of custom and language belong; (2) anyone born a Malay is compelled b