Women’s rights group Sisters in Islam (SIS) has questioned the apparent double standard in handling cases of religious insults, particularly the lack of action against a preacher who disparaged the faith of non-Muslims, says SIS executive director Rozana Isa.
Rozana also questioned the use of the Attorney-General’s discretion to declare “no further action” in such cases.
Speaking to FMT, Rozana pointed out the double standard in a woman being hauled to court for allegedly insulting Islam, while a Muslim preacher had no action taken against him for disparaging the faith of non-Muslims.
Citing the case of Syakir Nasoha, she said the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has decided not to charge him on the grounds that the video about him was taken out of context and did not touch on religious sensitivity in the country.
Rozana then said the Federal Constitution stated that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of race or religion.
“In both cases, the people have come out strongly in their reactions and responses and yet, the government regarded one to be more offensive than the other, given their subsequent actions on these cases,” she was quoted as saying.
She added that over 3,000 police reports were lodged against the preacher and religious minority communities but this lack of action might be perceived as a bias in the enforcement of laws.
Meanwhile, Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy shared a similar sentiment in a statement, asking “Why are the slightest infringements against Islam or Muslims taken so seriously whereas the repeated insults and disparagement against non-Muslims are ignored?”
“Are insults against Islam and Muslims considered more serious than insults against non-Muslim religions and non-Muslims?”
Similarly, Ramasamy also questioned the attorney-general’s refusal to prosecute such preachers despite the many repeated cases of them condemning the beliefs of non-Muslims.
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