Sunday, June 20, 2010

Saudi women use 'breastfeed the driver' fatwa in driving bid

"Do the women have to breastfeed the driver in the presence of their husbands or can they do this alone?"
"Who will protect the wife if the husband entered the house unexpectedly and found his wife breastfeeding the driver?" she asked.


Saudi women plan to turn a controversial fatwa (religious ruling) to their advantage and launch a campaign to achieve their long-standing demand to drive in this conservative kingdom.

If the demand is not met, the women threatened to follow through the fatwa which allows them to breastfeed their drivers and turn them into their sons.

The campaign will be launched under the slogan: "We either be allowed to drive or breastfeed foreigners," a journalist told Gulf News.

Amal Zahid said that their decision follows a fatwa issued by a renowned scholar which said that Saudi
women can breastfeed their foreign drivers for them to become their sons.

"As every Saudi family needs a driver, our campaign will focus on women's right to drive," she said.
The controversial fatwa, which was regarded as both funny and weird, issued recently by Shaikh Abdul Mohsin Bin Nasser Al Obaikan, member of Saudi Council of Senior Scholars and adviser to the king, has sparked a debate in society.

The renowned scholar said Saudi women can breastfeed their foreign drivers for them to be become their sons and brothers to their daughters.

Under this relationship, foreign drivers can mix freely with all members of the family without breaking the Islamic rule which does not allow mixing of genders.

Breast milk kinship is considered to be as good as a blood relationship in Islam.
"A woman can breastfeed a mature man so that he becomes her son. In this way, he can mix with her and her daughters without violating the teachings of Islam," the scholar said.

‘Ridiculous and weird'
Al Obaikan based his fatwa on a Hadith (saying) of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) which was narrated by Salim, the servant of Abu Huzaifa.

Later, Al Obaikan clarified that his fatwa was being distorted by the local media which ignored the condition that the milk should be drawn out of the woman and given to the man in a cup to drink.

Speaking to Gulf News, a number of Saudi women condemned the fatwa. Fatima Al Shammary was quoted by the local Arabic daily Al Watan as saying the fatwa was "ridiculous and weird".

"This fatwa has become a hot topic of debate among women. Is this is all that is left to us to do: to give our breasts to the foreign drivers?" she said.

Another Saudi woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, questioned: "Does Islam allow me to breastfeed a foreign man and prevent me from driving my own car?

"I have not breastfed my own children. How do you expect me to do this with a foreign man? What is this nonsense?" she said.

Another woman said the fatwa should also apply to the husbands who should be breastfed by housemaids. By doing so, all will be brothers and sisters," she said.

Hamid Al Ali, a journalist for an electronic newspaper, recalled that an Egyptian driver who had a crush on a female teacher he drives to school asked her to breastfeed him. When she retorted angrily, he said: "I want to be your son."

Saudi writer Suzan Al Mashhadi sarcastically asked Al Obaikan: "Do the women have to breastfeed the driver in the presence of their husbands or can they do this alone?"

"Who will protect the wife if the husband entered the house unexpectedly and found his wife breastfeeding the driver?" she asked.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

English is the way to go, says Johor Ruler's consort

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is moving in the opposite direction compared with countries such as China and Indonesia that are fast catching up on becoming more proficient in the English language, said Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah (pic).

She spoke about the many youths who could not speak or write well in English.

“They are reluctant to participate in international conferences because they have no confidence in speaking up and writing reports in English,” said the Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim’s consort.

Delivering a royal lecture at the 19th Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (Melta) International Conference on Monday, Raja Zarith, who is the patron of Melta, said: “One way to boost students’ confidence in speaking in English is by asking them to do presentations regularly in front of the class.”

She also said that English could be used to communicate the message that Islam was a religion of peace.

“Post-9/11, there have been stereotypes and misconceptions about Muslims and Islam. With good English, we can tell the world that Malaysian Muslims do not prescribe to the doctrine of terrorism.”

Raja Zarith also paid tribute to the teachers for their efforts in moulding young minds and contributing to the country’s development.

“Nevertheless, education is always dynamic. Teachers need to be aware of the latest happenings in order to keep up with the students nowadays,” she added.

The Star is the media partner for Melta.


English is the way to go, says Johor Ruler's consort

Man gets ‘high’ on panties

KUALA TERENGGANU: A medical assistant’s fetish for used panties was uncovered when police found hundreds of underwear hidden in a cabinet when they searched his home for drugs.

The 2.45am raid yesterday at Kampung Rawai, Alor Limbat in Marang did not yield any drugs but police found about 400 pairs of panties and 10 bras that the 39-year-old man had stolen from homes over the past year.

“He has been stealing panties since his school days. He normally sniffs a panty for a day or two and then keeps it.

“After that, it becomes part of his collection. He doesn’t wear men’s underwear but wears the stolen panties instead,” said a police source yesterday.

Out in the open: Police showing the panties collection belonging to the medical assistant during a press conference in Kuala Terengganu.

“He gets a ‘high’ from sniffing panties.”

State narcotics chief Supt Roslan Abdul Wahid told a press conference that police also believed that the assistant, who is attached to a government clinic in Marang, had stolen panties from patients during his previous stints at other hospitals and clinics in Dungun and Marang.

Police officers were also taken aback when they found that the man was wearing one of the stolen panties when they conducted a body search.

“The suspect, who is a hardcore drug user, is neither a transvestite nor does he have previous record of sexual crimes,” he said.

Supt Roslan added that the man, who is a bachelor and lives alone, revealed that he had had the fetish since his school days and had stolen thousands of panties in the last two decades.

He said the man also had two previous cases under Section 51 (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drug Act for drug abuse and tested positive for drugs yesterday.

Supt Roslan said another four people, including a woman, were detained in a another raid at Alor Limbat in Marang at 5.30am the same day.

Police recovered 60 amphetamine-type pills from the four.


Man gets ‘high’ on panties

More than 70% of AIDS/HIV sufferers in Malaysia are Muslims: AIDS Council

KUALA TERENGGANU: More than 70% of the 87,710 HIV/AIDS sufferers in the country are Muslims, Malaysian AIDS Council vice-president Datuk Zaman Khan said.

Therefore, he said, the celebration for this year's World AIDS Day would emphasise efforts to enhance awareness on AIDS among Muslims.

He said what was more worrying was a report by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS)on AIDS, which stated that nine Malaysians were infected with the disease every day.

Also of concern was the spread of the disease among women, from 9.5% in 2000 to 20% last year, he said, when speaking at a function to commemorate World AIDS Day here Tuesday night.

He said that in 2000, the main cause of women being infected with HIV/AIDS was drug addiction, but lately, it had been attributed to heterosexual sex (30%).

On HIV/AIDS sufferers in Terengganu, he said a total of 315 new cases were reported last year.

Kelantan recorded the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases at 596, followed by Pahang (431) and Selangor (378), he added. - Bernama


More than 70% of AIDS/HIV sufferers in Malaysia are Muslims: AIDS Council

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Taman Majidee folk living in fear of criminals

By AUSTIN CAMOENS
newsdesk@thestar.com.my


JOHOR BARU: Residents of Taman Majidee here have been living in increasing fear the past 20 years as criminals are getting more daring and aggressive.
Many of these residents hope for a stronger police presence in the neighbourhood to curb multiple crimes, especially house break-ins.
Zainab Ibrahim, 54, said her house had been broken into at least 10 times the past 30 years.
The retiree, who lives with her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren, added that she had also been a victim of snatch theft three times last year.
“The neighbourhood used to be a nice place to live in the 1970s but now no one can walk the streets alone without worrying about snatch thieves and robbers,” she said.
Another resident, who only wanted to be known as Govind, 71, said crime was a common occurrence in the neighbourhood.
“Almost every month, a house is robbed,” he said, adding that he was not surprised to hear about the robbery attempt on June 1, about 300m from his house, where robbers used a woman as a human shield when pursued by a security guard.
The retired doctor asked why the police had not been keeping an eye on the neighbourhood with the high crime rate there.
A businessman who only wanted to be known as Low, 57, echoed Zainab’s sentiment that the crime rate in the area was much lower 20 years ago.
“I own a shop lot in the area and it is disturbing that so many crimes occur here on a monthly basis.”
Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob said that police would step up patrols in the housing estate.
“We are aware of the residents’ concerns. We will increase patrols as well as police presence,” he said.
He urged anyone with information on any crime related cases to contact the police hotline at 07-2212999 or the nearest police station.


Taman Majidee folk living in fear of criminals