Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
While we're contemplating bizarre international sex scandals, I call your attention to--no, wait--would linking to the story violate Ricochet's Code of Conduct? Do you really want to know the details? Maybe not. But I am, after all, a professional journalist; so I have an obligation to cover the story, for good or ill.
Remember what I was saying about Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the Malaysian opposition? Key words: proctoscope, Paul Wolfowitz, Al Gore? Well, the Sodomy II trial, as they're calling it, is underway. (I found a link that explained the situation in the most chaste possible terms. You probably don't want to Google much further.)
Now, one very serious point about that link. Put this under the category of "things reporters don't mention, but really ought to." The article notes:
In 2008, Anwar was instrumental in cobbling together an opposition alliance that included the Chinese-dominated, socialist Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS). Even his detractors would admit that Anwar is still the only figure capable of bridging the ideological gulf that exists between these two groups. This being the case, if Anwar is imprisoned the brittle DAP-PAS alliance could well unravel.
What this article doesn't note is that the PAS are the radical Islamists, so it is not exactly some huge credit here to Anwar that he's the only one capable of bridging that divide. They're these guys:
A leader of Malaysia's Islamist party, which made surprising gains in March elections, wants its secular allies to apply strict sharia law, which include amputations and stonings for Muslims.
The hardline Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) has enacted such laws in its Kelantan stronghold to punish rapists and adulterers with stoning to death, while thieves would lose their limbs.
In other words, the worry about the unraveling of this electoral alliance is a little misplaced.
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Comments :
Sep '10
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
If only we could split the alliance between "stoners" and socialists in California too.
May '10
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
Boy, here we read about John Ensign or someone on a boring blog. The Azerbaijanis show video on TV, in Malaysia they have two trials.... is anyone else noticing a consistent theme in Claire's posts today?
But, if Anwar is the only one who has the ability to charm and tame the PAS gang, even after this debacle, does that mean that he is moderating the PAS reactions to alleged sins of the flesh?
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
I got about thirty jokes for that headline, but I'm pretty sure I'd get fatwa'd by the Ricochet clergy as well as some ayatollahs.
Oct '10
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
and i thought Anwar Ibrahim was a real moderate. He was ousted president Joseph Estrada's BFF from Malaysia.
May '10
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
I've got a bunch of graphic (and I do mean graphic) ideas that would get me banned for life as well.
May '10
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
EJHill
I've got a bunch of graphic (and I do mean graphic) ideas that would get me banned for life as well. · Oct 28 at 10:26am
Well, you can post them at NSFW....
Oct '10
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
ok, I have a few questions Claire:
1. What is there to do in Byzantium apart from blogging? I don't think there are any ice rinks, or rivers to fish, or elk to hunt or skeet that need broken or jam sessions to join so what the hell do you do all day?
2. Why did you choose to live there? I have been scratching my head for a while over this and unless you are researching for your next book I come up dry.
Re: Sex Scandal--Moderate Muslim Watch Style!
Mark Monaghan: ok, I have a few questions Claire:
1. What is there to do in Byzantium apart from blogging? I don't think there are any ice rinks, or rivers to fish, or elk to hunt or skeet that need broken or jam sessions to join so what the hell do you do all day?
2. Why did you choose to live there? I have been scratching my head for a while over this and unless you are researching for your next book I come up dry. · Oct 28 at 2:56pm
I think we need to have some kind of sticky on the site to explain this ...