Friday July 24, 2009

Punishment too severe for the crime

THE report “Model sentenced to whipping and fine for drinking beer” (The Star, July 20) is deeply disturbing and unsettling.

Little did Kartika Sari expect to be prosecuted and persecuted in a fashion reminiscent of extremist regimes in the Middle East, Afghanistan or Pakistan just for consuming alcohol.

Few would expect to be fined a hefty amount, imprisoned and flogged for quenching their thirst. Certainly, no one thought that this would happen in modern-day Malaysia, which professes to be a progressive Muslim nation.

There is an advert for one of the beers which claims “to reach parts that no other beer will reach”. In this case, it certainly has. It has managed to offend the sensitive ego, male prejudices and inflated male macho pride of the Syariah officers who conducted the raid.

What is Kartika Sari’s crime? That she drank alcohol? Or that she consumed it in a public place?

Naturally, the whole world is aware that Muslims are forbidden from consuming alcohol. But did she harm anyone with her drinking? Was she so drunk and incapacitated that she made a public spectacle of herself? Or was she so intoxicated that she drove erratically and was a danger to herself and to others?

Kartika Sari did none of those things. She did not drive whilst drunk. She did not damage public property and possibly the only damage she did was to harm her liver.

Her crime is between her and her God. Let her receive her punishment when she eventually meets her Maker.

The worse crime is that we, and our society, allow and condone such terrible things to continue under the guise of protecting the religion. If we really want to make her an example to others and if we really want to use her as a showcase for errant Muslims, then why do we stop at her?

I believe there are more serious crimes such as abuse of women, taking on of several wives without any regard for the welfare of the children, violence and disrespect against women and children, the unfair distribution of wealth and inheritance rights.

I have not heard of any stoning of men who have been guilty of committing adultery or sexual harassment. Another good example is the case of the man who circulated indecent photos of his wife. His punishment is nothing compared with that of Kartika.

It seems that as a nation we practise double standards, first in how we treat our citizens and second in how we have different punishment and treatment of our womenfolk.

Do we seriously expect tourists to flock in great numbers to Pahang, or Malaysia, for that matter? How the rest of the world views us in our treatment of women is important.

Sadly, Malaysia has failed miserably. It acts as if it can exist as an island nation and not as a progressive, moderate and tolerant Muslim country, one which all Malaysians, Muslim and otherwise, as well as the rest of the world, can look up to as a beacon of hope.

MARIAM MOKHTAR,

Ipoh.

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