Anwar Ibrahim |
| Turkey Gives Muslim world Hope in The Arab Spring Posted: 04 Feb 2012 04:57 AM PST From Todayszaman.com Former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that Turkey’s democratic reforms give the entire Muslim world hope for the future of the Arab Spring. Ibrahim discussed on Thursday the overlapping roles of Islam and democracy in the reforms sweeping North Africa and the Middle East at this month’s Alliance of Civilizations meeting in ?stanbul. "The Muslim masses want leadership," Ibrahim said. "The Muslim world needs an effective voice to represent the call for freedom and justice." Turkey’s role and influence in the Arab Spring is "critical," Ibrahim stressed, adding that both the Western and Muslim world are looking to Turkey and Indonesia, another flourishing Muslim democracy, at a time of great political change. The developments in Turkey, Indonesia and in the Arab Spring countries offer the Muslim world a fresh voice, Ibrahim said. The Malaysian politician described the excitement that bubbled among the masses and the complete silence of the leaders of the repressive regimes of countries that witnessed the Arab Spring uprisings. "This is why I was excited when the prime minister came out and presented the issue of human rights, the issue of freedom for all and the issue of dignity for all men and women as a universal construct, not just a Turkish or Western construct," he said. "It was timely that the prime minister took a position that no leader can continue without representing the sentiments and aspirations of the people." "I remain optimistic about the Arab Spring and the future of the Muslim world. We see how Turkey has navigated [successful democratization efforts and reforms]," said Ibrahim of the Muslim world's generally positive view of Turkey. "Keep up the good work," he encouraged. Democracy is often heralded as an ideal that belongs to the West, but Ibrahim disagreed. "Democracy is not just a Western construct," Ibrahim said. "Do you realize that Indonesia, the largest Muslim democracy in the world, had free, democratic elections in 1955?" Ibrahim said he used to joke with former US Vice President Al Gore that Indonesia's elections in 1955 were far more democratic than Florida's in 2000. "Why do you think Muslim countries have risen up against exploitation, imperialism and colonization? Because they honor freedom," he told the crowd gathered at the prime minister's office in Dolmabahçe Palace. "The Arab Spring will not be successful if it follows a Western model," Ibrahim emphasized. And on the question of what sort of government should be established in the place of the toppled regimes, Ibrahim said simply, "Let the Arabs decide." But there are universal principles, Ibrahim said, that will not be compromised. "The freedom of expression, the freedom of speech and the battle against corruption and greed … these values we will not compromise," he said. Contrasting Turkey, Malaysia's 'democracies' "Turkey is a democracy. Malaysia is not," Ibrahim said matter-of-factly. Ibrahim argued it is wrong to call Malaysia a democracy. "There is not one free media outlet in Malaysia," he said. On Thursday morning, Ibrahim said he read on the front page of a Turkish newspaper a stringent criticism of the prime minister's most recent comments. "This is what a democracy is all about — the right to disagree," he said. "I often joke that in Malaysia we have freedom of speech, but not after speech," said Ibrahim, who was fired from his position as deputy prime minister and arrested after speaking out against the Malaysian prime minister.
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| Kenyataan Media: Qazaf Mekanisma Syariah Halang Fitnah Posted: 30 Jan 2012 01:34 AM PST Sokong Pelaksanaan Qazaf Sebagai Mekanisme Syariah Untuk Halang Fitnah dan Politik Lucah Hari ini, 30 Januari 2012, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim melalui barisan peguamnya akan mengemukakan hujah di Mahkamah Rayuan Syariah Kuala Lumpur. Ini bertujuan agar Mahkamah meneliti semula keputusan yang dibuat oleh Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Kuala Lumpur yang telah menolak permohonan untuk mahkamah memerintahkan supaya Ketua Pendakwa Syarie mendakwa Saiful Bukhari berhubung dengan kes qazaf. Kelab Anwar Ibrahim (AIC) melihat pelaksanaan qazaf ini seharus dipermudahkan oleh Mahkamah, khususnya di dalam kes melibatkan Datuk Seri Anwar ini. Mahkamah Syariah mempunyai kapasiti yang jelas untuk membenarkan Saiful Bukhari dibicarakan melalui prosiding Mahkamah Syariah dan didakwa di atas tuduhan palsu yang beliau kemukakan pada tahun 2008. Keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur pada 9 Januari 2012 jelas membuktikan bahawa tuduhan tersebut adalah tidak berasas, malah berniat jahat. Pelaksanaan qazaf ini, secara jelas berpotensi menutup ruang fitnah daripada dilakukan secara berleluasa, malah ia juga dapat mengekang budaya menggunakan pertuduhan palsu melibatkan jenayah seksual sebagai satu alat politik untuk memusnahkan kredibiliti mana-mana pihak. AIC melihat pembunuhan karakter ke atas Datuk Seri Anwar sudah menjadi semakin parah. Sekiranya pelaksanaan qazaf ini diperlekeh dan ditolak oleh Mahkamah Rayuan Syariah, ianya bukan sekadar satu ketidakadilan kepada Datuk Seri Anwar, malah secara tidak langsung menafikan prospek perundangan syariah yang jelas menjulang pembelaan hak-hak dan maruah mana-mana individu daripada difitnah sewenang-wenangnya. Adalah sangat mendukacitakan, di saat Malaysia disebut-sebut sebagai Negara Islam Contoh oleh pemimpin negara, budaya fitnah dan penggunaan politik lucah semakin berleluasa di Malaysia sehingga ke satu tahap yang membimbangkan. Lebih memburukkan keadaan apabila ianya dijadikan satu senjata politik dan seolah tidak terhalang dan kebal daripada undang-undang. Justeru harapan besar rakyat Malaysia amnya dan umat Islam yang prihatin khususnya, agar pelaksanaan qazaf ini dapat direalisasikan. Ayuh bersama tolak budaya fitnah dan politik lucah demi kemaslahatan rakyat dan negara, demi menjulang politik baru yang lebih matang dan segar. Saifuddin Shafi Muhamad |
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