No whipping for girl rescued by Umno Youth? — Mariam Mokhtar
If ever there was a case of hypocrisy and double standards about the caning of women, this must be one of them. It is despicable and crass and just shows how we are tumbling headlong into an abyss of sanctimoniousness and moral decay.
The news about a 15-year-old Malaysian teenager, by the name of Salsabila Yunan aka Bella has just broken, in the mainstream papers. Salsabila who calls herself an actress, ran off with an Indonesian man from Lombok. They are now married and she is 6 months pregnant. She has not even finished her PMR examinations. Her father was quoted as saying that Umno Youth had traced her and brought her home. Although he is grateful to them, she is unrepentant about her marriage. She says she would like her husband to come to Malaysia and look after her and the baby, and has asked for help from Umno and the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta, to furnish her husband with the appropriate travel papers.
First. This girl is underaged. Therefore, her husband, whose age we are not given, had sex with a minor. Even if it was consensual sex, it is still statutory rape. She could even have been 14 years old when she was made pregnant. In the recent debacle of three women being whipped, for illicit sex, the youngest woman was 17 years. Are we to understand that as Umno Youth were involved, this 15-year-old will escape punishment?
Second. How did she obtain the travel papers/documentation to go abroad? Even when I go overseas on holiday, with my young nephews and nieces accompanying me, I have to carry letters from their parents to say that I have not kidnapped these children (they have their own passports). Or are the immigration authorities only particular in western countries? If so, we need to upgrade our immigration policies.
Third. This 15-year old calls herself an ‘actress’. In the recent case of the three young women who were whipped recently, we are not told their backgrounds or professions, but the implication was that they were stay-at-home types, thus nothing as glamorous as this teenage celluloid celebrity. Are we to come to the conclusion, that Malaysia syariah justice considers housewifely types more punishable than so-called actresses? Or does Umno Youth’s involvement have a strong influence on who gets whipped or not?
Fourth. Both the Malaysian Embassy and Umno have been asked by Salsabila to help her husband with his documentation. I agree. Just prepare the international arrest warrant for him. Actually, why not just let the Indonesians arrest him and let him languish in an Indonesian jail. That might save our foreign embassy some money, on air-fares and custody costs.
Five. This girl seems more upset that she has been dragged home because her father is ill. She sounds very ungrateful and more concerned about her husband’s well-being. Maybe she should have been left in Lombok.
The recent whippings have highlighted many irregularities in our syariah laws. The Malaysian authorities seem unfazed by the domestic and international condemnation s. And naturally, those of us who question certain aspects of this punishment, risks being labeled as trouble-makers or anti-Islam.
Nevertheless, we watch with interest if this 15-year old, who was rescued by Umno Youth, will receive the same treatment as the three women who were recently whipped. Its early days yet and she may of course, give herself up voluntarily to the authorities, out of guilt, just like the other three did. But, let’s not hold our breath.
* Mariam Mokhtar reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This article is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
MI
24/02/10
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