Friday August 24, 2007
MB blames moral decay for HIV rise
KOTA BARU: Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has blamed the alarming rise of HIV/AIDS cases among women in Kelantan on the growing decline in moral and religious values among the people.
He said many had forsaken religious teachings, particularly of Islam, resulting in moral decay and low self-esteem brought on by the relentless pursuit of materialism at the expense of spiritual needs.
It was reported that at the Raja Perempuan Zainab Hospital here, eight or nine women are diagnosed with HIV every month.
Nik Abdul Aziz said a low moral value system was the root cause of the rise in cases of HIV/AIDS, which is a deadly disease often associated with drug users who use syringes and have unprotected sex with those infected.
He said this after opening the annual Islamic science and technology exhibition at the Balai Islam.
Responding to comments raised by Malaysian AIDS Foundation adviser Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, Nik Abdul Aziz said the disease could only be curtailed if people adhered to religious teachings.
Recently, when addressing a session on married women’s vulnerability towards the disease at an HIV/AIDS congress in Sri Lanka, Marina cited a study conducted with a post-graduate student of Universiti Malaya.
In the survey of 56 HIV-infected widows here, it was found that some who had remarried revealed that their uninfected husbands did not use condoms consistently when engaging in sex with them.
To this, Nik Aziz said Allah sometimes sent his messages for repentance in the form of incurable diseases such as AIDS.
He said Muslims must understand clearly what is halal and haram in their lifestyle pursuits.
“Obeying the decrees of Allah is the paramount need above all other earthly needs,” he said.
He blamed the Government for neglecting youths, saying the adult leaders were preoccupied with materialism rather than spiritual needs.
News Poll
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Girl and stepmum held over bid to kill first wife
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Biggest karaoke session a blast
- Teoh’s body exhumed for second autopsy today
- Victim’s dad nabs kidnapper
- Foreigner falls to her death from condominium
- Puad faces flak over ‘use Bahasa only’ remark
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- No licence to try offenders
- Johor set to be a medical hub
- Joy for 2,500 housebuyers as SPNB takes over project
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- RM849mil owed by various state agencies
- Indonesia seizes ammonium nitrate shipment from Malaysia
- Puad faces flak over ‘use Bahasa only’ remark
- Heading in the right direction
RSS
