Haris takes on Nik Aziz over hudud

KUALA LUMPUR - Blogger/lawyer Haris Ibrahim posted a damning video of Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat shot three years ago when the Kelantan Mentri Besar was speaking in a campaign on the "virtues" of covering the aurat.

Haris described the video as shocking referring to Nik Aziz’s remarks in the tale end of the video when he said: “When girls start covering up, it will automatically reduce rape and AIDS cases.”

In the video Nik Aziz who was promoting the campaign in Kelantan stated that for girls who did not cover their aurat ( (covering up parts of the body not permissible to be exposed in Islam), if they get raped, they deserved it.

“Dah dia buka aurat. Dirogol. Padanlah muka dirogol. Dia jual murah-murah (She did not cover herself.  She got raped. Serves her right. She made herself cheap)” Nik Aziz said in the video.

The posting “Go on, take a peek at Nik Aziz’s hudud and see if you still want to remain silent on this issue”received numerous responses and the comments varied, ranging from those supporting Nik Aziz's stand and views on covering the aurat, those who felt offended by it and those who believed that the three year old video should be viewed within the context that things have changed since then.

The Mole contacted Haris who is also the president of of the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement, for his comments on his blog posting to which he said:

"Everybody makes mistake and Nik Aziz had given some zany remarks before. Even the greatest of leaders make mistakes, so did Nik Aziz."

"But to allow for that sort of thing (what Nik Aziz said)  to stand is troubling."

While the posting had Nik Aziz's video clip on the covering of aurat, the issue highlighted by Haris revolved around the implementation of hudud and the stand of Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

Haris asked, “Hudud according to whom?”

He said if it is hudud according to Allah, there should be no compulsion.

“Why should there be compulsion? If we pray to Allah and adhere to the rules of Islam, it is not because we are asked by the government but it is because we want to do so and not because we are compelled to do so,” said Haris adding that this are the things that need to be smoothened out.

Asked on his opinion on the stand that Pakatan leaders have on this matter after the meeting they had last week, Haris said, “What’s disconcerting is that we are clear on DAP’s stand. The question is what about Keadilan’s  (Parti Keadilan Rakyat - PKR) stand on this.”

In earlier reports Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Pakatan leadership respected PAS stand on the issue but at the same time accepted the views of the DAP, which opposed hudud laws.

“If you read into what he says, there is no mention about Keadilan’s stand as it only highlighted that DAP oppose the hudud,” said Haris.

In his blog Haris wrote that he contacted several DAP leaders such as Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh and Tony Pua to comment on whether DAP has acceded to hudud being implemented in Kelantan.

According to Haris, all DAP leaders replied stating that it is not true.

Source: MOLE