An update on this story. Marisol's remarks there are worth noting again: "Western countries need to take note of cases like this and realize they are the logical conclusion of the various means of coercion (legislation, litigation, violence) aimed at placing Islam above insult and criticism of any kind."
Sharia Alert from Modern, Moderate Malaysia: "Malaysia's top blogger released from detention," from AFP, November 7 (thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist):
Malaysia's leading blogger, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, was Friday released from detention under controversial internal security laws after a court ruled the government had no right to hold him...."It's a great day for human rights and fundamental liberties," said Malaysian human rights commissioner Denison Jayasooria.
"The executive must use the ISA only in situations where there is a real threat to national security," he told AFP.
Raja Petra, founder of the popular Malaysia Today website which has outraged top leaders with its stream of critical stories, was detained in September for writing articles that allegedly insulted Islam....
But he was also accused of threatening public security and causing racial tension by inciting hate in his articles on Islam -- a serious offence in predominantly Muslim Malaysia....
Tyrannies always trump up charges when they arrest you for no reason other than engaging in your God-given rights.
Notice how they use anti terrorism laws. To attempt to silence dissent and criticism.
Coming to you in the West, detention without trial.
Moderate modern Malaysia? When did that happen?
But I must point out that racial tensions in Malaysia are very real and are a danger. If race riots break out, people aren't going to stop to ask if people are jihadists before they attack them. So people do need to try to fight racism at the same time as attacking Islam.
NeverAMuslim
In the mainstream, most people point to Malaysia as an example of what a Muslim country could/should be. Of course, their bhumiputra system is nothing but an Islamic apartheid posing as a system similar to the one in Hawaii favoring natives, but indigenous non-Islamic tribes like Dayaks, Orang Asli, et al aren't covered under bhumiputra.
Anyway, the differences in Malaysia are primarily religious - Indians or Chinese who embrace Islam are put in the same category as Malays, while Malays are legally barred from converting to Hinduism, Christianity or Buddhism. There are few racial differences, but mainly religious ones.
Dear Infidel Pride;
I really would appreciate it if you actually did take the time to read up on what you're saying.
Believe me, the Dayaks, Kadazans, Orang Asli and whatnot are also covered under the Bumiputera discrimination policy. I should know; my half-Dayak and half-Iban cousins are twisting and turning to emphasise their heritage in order to gain those self-same advantages.
Indians and Chinese who become Muslim are not granted Bumi status; indeed, in the past, they capitalised on it by changing their names to the Muslim/Arabic pattern, but now the NRIC department has more or less told them that they have to retain their previous ethnic names (just add a ibn Abdallah or a 'bin Abdullah' at the end). So, you can very well have a Maria Leong Abdullah or a Satyamallam Arumugam Abdullah. Besides, our 'race' and 'religion' are separate columns on our IC.
That Muslims cannot convert is a national shame and black mark on our freedoms - but then, there are a lot of freedoms Americans take for granted that we simply do not have.