Last Friday (8 February), lawyer Siti Kasim, alleged on Facebook that a senior police officer was out to charge her over the infamous middle-finger incident of 2016.
The police investigation and court case (now dropped), against her have nothing to do with her middle finger, but with men being outraged over a Malay women’s courage in opposing their version of Islam and their wish to Islamise Malaysia.
The Islamists would love to have Siti jailed.
She is a woman who dares to go against the establishment. She dares to cross swords with Jakim . She is vocal over a wide range of topics, from the rights of women, to the rights of LGBTs, and the rights of Orang Asli. She is a lawyer and she knows her stuff. She dances on stage. She has a large following.
Siti sets a bad example to their own docile and obliging women. The men do not wish Siti’s courage, to influence their women.
Many Malay men would prefer their women to be like Victorian children, to be seen and not heard.
When he speaks, she listens. When he walks, she is a dutiful three paces behind him. He would like his woman/wife/wives to be a whore in bed, a cook in the kitchen and a perfect host for entertaining.
Siti’s allegation
She issued a statement which said that the police inspector had called her the day before and told her that there was an instruction to charge her under Section 509 of the Penal Code (pertaining to a word or gesture intended to insult the modesty of a person) over the incident in Shah Alam.
She said, “I have been keeping this quiet but I think I must get this out to the public. I know the OCCI Selangor (Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief), named Fadzil, has been trying to put me behind bars.”
In addition, last June, Anis Nur, who was Siti’s client, had sought refuge in her house, to escape an allegedly abusive mother.
Siti added, “I do believe he (Fadzil) orchestrated the raiding into my house with the ridiculous mind-blowing kidnapping charge. If not because of the unplanned video that went viral, I would be facing a charge for a capital offence. Kidnapping carries the death penalty!”
Last Friday, Siti went public and the public vented their outrage. The case has now been dropped by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
It would have been a waste of taxpayers’ money, police and court time, to proceed with this case.
Are we living in a police state or an Islamist state or both?
The Islamist
“Why does he want to get me… well… I was told he is an Islamist who hates my guts.
“The Islamists are out to get me by hook or crook. I am no longer keeping quiet. I will fight this and make sure anyone who is abusing their powers will get their just punishment.”
Malay women
If you are a keen observer of Malaysian politics and social life, you will know that the bottom line is this, it is hard being a Malay, Muslim woman in Malaysia, especially if she is independently minded, articulate and progressive. She will find life challenging and frustrating.
Many Malay MPs from Umno Baru fail to set an example. The red shirts are given carte blanche to terrorise us. Senior Umno-Baru anad PAS politicians make sexist remarks in Parliament; one MB allegedly made a rude hand gesture. Another minister, when asked for his comment, made a rude finger gesture.
Siti’s middle-finger
In September 2016, Siti attended a forum called “Pindaan Akta 355: Antara Realiti dan Persepsi. (Amendment to Act 355: Between Reality and Perception). She was initially barred from asking a question, but when she did, she was harassed by heckling and boos.
It takes a strong person with nerves of steel, and gritty determination, to face a rude and hostile audience, like the one Siti experienced.
They drowned her out. They interrupted her. They tried to make her lose her train of thought. They were ill-mannered.
The heckling to which Siti was subjected in the forum is a sad reflection of the Malay community. A community that we grew up in. A community which has, over the years, become more racist, sexist, ageist and materialistic.
Religious men want to control the population. Anyone who shows dissent is perceived as a threat to their power and domination. Power is normally held by men.
Do not be distracted by Siti’s middle finger. She should not be terrorised by sanctimonious Malay busybodies, least of all, sanctimonious male policemen.