“Well, it’s rubbish isn’t it? It’s not even worth responding to because only unintelligent people will come up with such an argument” she told reporters at the Tasik Taman Jaya, where a rally opposed to the Act 355 amendments was held.
Siti was responding to a remark made by PAS’ Supporter’s Congress (DHPP) chairman N Balasubramaniam.
Balasubramaniam told participants at the PAS rally in support of the amendments, held at Padang Merbok this afternoon, that only Malaysians who are guilty would be afraid of PAS’ proposal to strengthen the shariah courts.
Siti said it was absolutely ludicrous for Balasubramaniam to make such a suggestion.
“Why should we be worried if we are not doing anything wrong? I’m not just talking about myself, but everybody,” she said at the rally organised by the NGO, Bebas.
She cited the case of the couple who filed a suit against the Federal Territories Islamic Department (Jawi) for having arrested them for khalwat (close proximity) despite them producing proof that they were married.
Siti said that the couple’s predicament isn’t an isolated incident, as there have been many cases of unlawful khalwat arrests in the past.
“I know a lot of cases where people who were not supposedly in close proximity but were still charged in the shariah court and faced a trial.
“These people would just plead guilty because they don’t want to prolong the embarrassment.
“So, this is not just about ‘if you don’t do anything wrong, you don’t have to be afraid’.”
Yesterday, the couple who took Jawi to court accused the Islamic department of abusing its power and violating the couple’s right to personal liberty and freedom of movement under the federal constitution.
The couple named Jawi, the department’s director-general, two Jawi enforcement officers, the Prime Minister’s Department and the Malaysian government as defendants, among others.
According to the couple’s lawyer, eight religious enforcement officers came into their room at a budget hotel at 1.30am. A scuffle ensued between religious enforcement officers and the husband, because the wife wasn’t decently dressed at that time.
One of the officers then instructed the wife to get dressed in front of them, while another male officer took pictures and videos of the couple.
The couple is seeking damages, an apology from the department, and withdrawal of further investigations and legal costs.
The Bebas rally today was organised by a group of activists, and had managed to gather around 200 people who objected to PAS’ president Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill to amend Act 355.