Jim Paull

KUALA LUMPUR: US-based Turkish writer and author Mustafa Akyol has warned governments that putting in place authoritarian systems will end up hurting them.

“You won’t be in power forever and when you’re out of power, you will realise that these illiberal systems that you created will make things very difficult for you.”

He spoke at a forum called “Is Democracy Still Relevant?” at the Renaissance Hotel here today.

He cited the case in Turkey which he said was reminiscent of the Game of Thrones television series.

“You have tribes fighting for this Iron Throne and if you win, then you become king but if you lose power then you are an enemy of the state. Turkey has become this leviathan because the president has so much power.

“That’s why elections in Turkey are such a big thing compared with the US where you have people who don’t even vote because whoever becomes the president won’t affect them that much.”

He said in comparison, in the US, even when US President Donald Trump wanted to implement the entry ban on people from seven Muslim countries, the judiciary said it was unconstitutional and so it didn’t happen.

“Fortunately for Americans, these liberal systems have been engrained longer so people like Trump can’t do whatever they want just because he has power behind him.

“If you want to have peaceful societies, you must create peaceful states.”

He said that looking at the majority as the determining factor in a democracy was not healthy.

“In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has the majority behind him but the country is not liberal and so there are liberal democracies and an illiberal democracy.

“Similarly, India is a democracy with Hindu nationalists. There’s a lot of hostility towards the Muslims. India is not worried about minority rights.”

He questioned whether all groups only cared about liberties when they were out of power.

“Muslims love the liberals in France because they are against the ban on the hijab. But when it comes to the right to not wear the hijab in Saudi Arabia, the liberals are then seen as evil.”

As for Malaysia, the country did enjoy a certain level of freedom. “I can see that,” he said.

However, he said there could be more freedom in terms of both politics and religion.

“We need to look at advanced countries in the world and find out what’s their secret.

“I believe their secret is the rule of law and the liberties that they enjoy.”

KUALA LUMPUR: US-based Turkish scholar Mustafa Akyol today said there is a difference between crime and sin in the Quran, saying punishments under the shariah only covered actions that hurt a third party.

“In the Quran, there are five hudud: theft, murder, adultery, false accusation of adultery and slander,” he told a forum organised by the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) here.

Akyol said the Quran makes no mention of punishments on those who consume alcohol or Muslims who miss the obligatory prayer.

“Muslim societies need to differentiate between crime and sin, where sin is when it is only between you and God.

“I believe as a Muslim, that sins should not be matters of the state. You can and should advise Muslims who commit sins but you should not punish them.”

Akyol also criticised Muslim countries who impose laws based on a particular interpretation of Islam.

“There are many different interpretations of the Islamic tradition and no one can claim ‘I am the truth’,” he said.

“Sunnis should be allowed to live as Sunnis in Iran and Shiites should be allowed to live as Shiites,” he said, believed to be referring to allegations of Muslim governments persecuting Muslims from minority sects.

KUALA LUMPUR: Organisers of a talk featuring prominent Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol to discuss the theme of his latest work on the theme of Christian-Muslim dialogue were today forced to cancel the event, following pressure from Islamic authorities, FMT has learned.

This comes after officers from the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) visited the University of Nottingham Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur campus, just an hour before the start of a forum based on the theme of Akyol’s latest work, The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims.

It is understood that organisers had initially refused to accede to the last-minute demand by Jawi for Akyol to get permission from the department, but had finally agreed to cancel the forum.

Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, director of the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) which is hosting Akyol’s lecture tour in Malaysia, said the prominent author has already left the country.

He said the decision to cancel the event titled “The Islamic Jesus: The Commonalities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam”, scheduled to take place at Nottingham University’s KL campus at 2.30pm, was made based on advice from his lawyer.

“I have already spoken to my lawyers, and we have been advised to cancel the forum and also not to meet with Jawi officers here (at Nottingham University Kuala Lumpur campus),” he told FMT.

Both Akyol and Farouk have been summoned by Jawi who accuse Akyol of teaching without official credentials from the religious authorities, an offence under the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act.

Since last week, Akyol, 45, a critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who has spoken out against both Islamists and secularists in his home country, has been featured in several events hosted by IRF.

Last night at a forum on democracy, Akyol criticised governments who use draconian laws to remain in power.

“You won’t be in power forever and when you’re out of power, you will realise that these illiberal systems that you created will make things very difficult for you,” he said.

In an earlier forum, Akyol questioned advocates of moral policing, saying it is not part of the shariah which only sought to fight crimes and not personal sins.

“I believe as a Muslim, that sins should not be matters of the state. You can and should advise Muslims who commit sins but you should not punish them,” he said.

SEPANG: Turkish-born author Mustafa Akyol said he was surprised that Malaysian religious authorities were after him, after the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) pressured a private university to cancel a forum where he was to speak.

“I don’t claim to be a mufti or imam with religious authority,” Akyol told FMT as he arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to board a flight to Rome, following the last-minute cancellation of a forum based on the theme of his latest book.

“I just had referred to the more liberal views in Islamic tradition, from an academic perspective, and the fact that even this raises alarm is puzzling to me.”

The prominent journalist was on a lecture tour, his fifth visit to Malaysia, on the invitation of the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF).

Yesterday, Akyol was to address a forum at the Kuala Lumpur campus of University of Nottingham Malaysia on the theme of his latest book, “The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims”, which the New York Times described as “a welcome expansion of the fragile territory known as common ground”.

However, the university was forced to cancel the forum at the last minute following pressure from Jawi, who had earlier summoned Akyol and IRF director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa for questioning, accusing Akyol of teaching without official credentials, an offence under the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act.

Akyol has often spoken out against both Islamists and secularists in his home country, and is a staunch advocate of free speech in Muslim countries. He has criticised Muslim governments for using undemocratic laws in the name of religion.

IRF’s Farouk yesterday said he was convinced that the 45-year-old critic of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was detained by Malaysian immigration authorities before his flight to Rome via Istanbul. Efforts to reach him failed and he had also not returned calls as promised.

‘Yes, I’m a liberal Muslim’

Speaking to FMT earlier, Akyol said the forced cancellation of his programme yesterday only confirmed his fears.

“I believe Muslim societies need more freedom of speech and religion, and this incident only confirmed that conviction,” he said.

At separate events over the weekend, he criticised governments who use draconian laws to remain in power, and questioned advocates of moral policing, saying it is not part of the shariah which only sought to fight crimes and not personal sins.

“I believe as a Muslim, that sins should not be matters of the state. You can and should advise Muslims who commit sins but you should not punish them,” he told a forum organised by IRF yesterday.

Akyol agreed with critics who labeled his views as “liberal”, saying his views were based on the Quranic dictum of “No compulsion in religion”.

“Yes, of course. I am a liberal Muslim,” he told FMT. “I think Islam should not be coerced and Muslims should be able to share their different views freely.

“Liberal does not mean ‘secular’ or ‘non-believing’. It just means believing in ‘no compulsion’,” he added.

Akyol said he still loved Malaysia despite the incident, and hoped to return.

“I have been here five times before and I always felt great love and admiration for Malaysia.

“I just hope that Malaysian authorities can be a bit more open-minded when it comes to allowing different points of view in the Muslim ummah.”

SHAH ALAM: Two leaders of Pakatan Harapan (PH) have criticised the religious authorities and police for detaining well-known Turkish author-writer Mustafa Akyol as he was preparing to leave Malaysia after addressing a forum.

PH secretary-general Saifuddin Abdullah said the views expressed by Akyol at the forum were in no way against Islam.

Saifuddin, who attended a programme with Akyol, said the Turkish author defended Islam with views that were progressive.

“I didn’t see anything that he said was against Islam and, if there are contrary opinions, then we should debate them in a proper manner,” he said when met at the Institut Darul Ehsan (IDE) think tank here today.

Police today confirmed the detention of Akyol last night, hours after the Federal Territory Islamic Department (Jawi) ordered the cancellation of a forum featuring him.

Akyol then left for the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) but was detained by immigration officers following a directive by Bukit Aman police.

Concerns for his safety arose after the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), which invited Akyol to speak at a number of lectures here, failed to contact him.

Earlier, Jawi ordered Akyol and IRF director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa to present themselves at the Jawi office for questioning. It was understood that the meeting with Akyol did not take place as he had left for KLIA. Farouk was asked to meet Jawi officials tomorrow.

Saifuddin said the pretext that Akyol had no credentials to speak on religion was frivolous, pointing out that he did not come to Malaysia to teach religion.

“The forum he attended was intellectual in nature and open to everyone.

“PH is very disappointed. This should not have happened at all,” he said.

Meanwhile, Amanah secretary-general Anuar Tahir said the detention of Akyol, who is a columnist of the New York Times, was most improper.

“I am ashamed that such a prominent person is treated in this way,” he said.

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Liew Chin Tong today called the government’s detention of Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol a “black eye for Malaysia”.

The Kluang MP was referring to a report that Akyol had been nabbed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday where he had gone to board a flight to Rome via Istanbul at 11.35pm.

“I am very concerned with the detention of Mustafa Akyol, the prominent Turkish author and journalist at KLIA. I am worried for his safety because as of noon today, I read news that he is yet to be released.

“It is a black eye for Malaysia when the government detains such a renowned writer who was cordially invited to our country to share his views on democracy, freedom and peace,” Liew said in a statement.

Liew, who is DAP’s national political education director, added that Akyol had been one of the speakers at a talk entitled “Is Democracy Still Relevant?”, hosted by the party in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Calling for his swift release, Liew said Akyol’s arrest put Malaysia in a negative light on the global stage as the journalist writes for many international media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post and The Guardian in UK.

“His detention has proven that Malaysia has an ‘illiberal government’, a similar sentiment that Akyol had voiced out in many of his writings about ‘illiberal democracy’, which he described as a system where elections are held but civil liberties such as freedom of speech are curtailed,” Liew said.

At the forum on Sunday, Akyol had criticised governments who use draconian laws to remain in power.

“You won’t be in power forever and when you’re out of power, you will realise that these illiberal systems that you created will make things very difficult for you,” Akyol had said.

Akyol had been in Malaysia since last week, and was called in for questioning by the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) yesterday.

He was questioned under Section 11 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act, for the offence of teaching without official credentials from the religious authorities.

The Turkish-born Akyol, now based in the United States, is a critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and is known for speaking out against both Islamists and secularists in his home country.

PETALING JAYA: PAS and several Muslim groups have voiced their support for the government’s arrest of Mustafa Akyol, saying the Turkish author’s views on Islam are controversial and is at odds with local Islamic laws.

PAS research centre director Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki said anyone who broke a country’s laws, be it a foreigner or citizen, should be detained.

“Any government has the right to ensure the harmony and stability of its country by restricting the arrival of such persons.

“Many European countries have restricted Dr Yusof al-Qaradhawi from entering even though he is a moderate Islamic scholar.

“The United States also has restricted (Swiss academic) Dr Tariq Ramadan’s entry into the country. So, this is just a normal matter for a government,” he told FMT today.

Zuhdi added that the voice of 15 million Muslims in the country was more worthy to be heard than that of liberalists who tried to undermine the well-being of the people.

Meanwhile, chairman of Perkasa’s Islamic affairs bureau, Amini Amir Abdullah, said the NGO welcomed the action taken by the Immigration Department last night.

“Perkasa agrees with the action taken as Mustafa Akyol’s views are against Islam.

“He once mentioned that shariah was toxic and there was no such thing as a great sin in Islam. This could lead to confusion among Muslims.”

Amini said Akyol should have had proper credentials from the religious department for the forum.

He also urged the home ministry to create a database for foreign scholars who were known for their liberalism, rationalism and orientalism.

“We can use that database to restrict them from entering the country,” he said.

Kamarul Zaman Yusoff of Universiti Utara Malaysia said Akyol’s views on religious freedom were “sensitive”, adding that he was not qualified to speak on religious matters.

“It was reported that Akyol had admitted that he was being investigated for speaking on religious issues as he didn’t have proper credentials to do so.

“I am not sure of the specific grounds for the detention, but we should respect the process and laws in the country, so it is best to wait for the investigation to be completed,” he told FMT.

Kamarul agreed that authorities should also act against others, including Indian Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, if they had committed any wrongdoing.

“I agree that the same action should be taken against Naik if what he preached was wrong,” he said, adding however that Naik’s offence was committed in India and not in Malaysia.

Akyol was detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last night as he was preparing to board a flight to Rome.

This came after he was served a summons to appear before the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) for teaching religion without official credentials, an offence under the Shariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act.

Akyol’s host, Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, who heads the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), was also summoned for a similar offence.

Akyol was released today after being questioned by Jawi.

He had often spoken out against both Islamists and secularists in his home country, and is a staunch advocate of free speech in Muslim countries. He has also criticised Muslim governments for using undemocratic laws in the name of religion.

Nurul Azwa Aris contributed to this article.

PETALING JAYA: Police have confirmed the arrest of prominent Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol, hours after he arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to board a flight to Rome.

A short statement from the Bukit Aman police headquarters confirmed that immigration authorities at the airport detained Akyol last night following a request by police.

The reason for Akyol’s detention is not known, but Malaysian police have in the past worked together with their counterparts in Turkey to deport critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose government has arrested tens of thousands of people accused of supporting a failed coup last year.

The confirmation of Akyol’s arrest comes as the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) prepares to visit KLIA today, after efforts to trace Akyol failed following his detention by immigration authorities.

News of his “disappearance” have riled several prominent academics abroad who criticised Malaysian authorities who earlier forced the cancellation of a forum featuring him.

“Deepening authoritarianism in Malaysia as talk by Turkish Muslim author is cancelled,” says a tweet from Nader Hashemi who heads the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver in United States.

FMT understands that Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph and lawyer Jesrina Kaur Grewal will be visiting the airport this morning.

Akyol’s Malaysian host, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) said they had been trying since yesterday evening to get hold of him without success.

IRF director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa confirmed the visit by Suhakam, adding they would be accompanied by members of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.

“Hopefully they will get access to Akyol,” he told FMT, adding that he was also approaching the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Kuala Lumpur later today.

Akyol, on his fifth trip to Malaysia for a lecture tour, had gone to KLIA yesterday afternoon to board a flight to Rome via Istanbul, but soon after lost communication with his wife.

He was supposed to have boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Rome at 11.35pm last night, before continuing his journey to Boston. Akyol is a senior visiting fellow at the Wellesley College.

His wife, Riada Asimovic, also tried in vain to reach her husband.

“She said Akyol texted him only once saying that he was being detained. Then he became incontactable,” Farouk said.

“Perhaps he was allowed only for one text message.”

Akyol’s presence in Malaysia has ruffled some Muslim conservatives as well as Islamic authorities, who accused him of breaching a law requiring those speaking on Islam to have official credentials.

Yesterday, after issuing summonses to Akyol and Farouk over a charge of breaching the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act for speaking without permit, the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) forced the cancellation of a forum featuring Akyol at the Nottingham University Malaysia’s campus in Kuala Lumpur.

But the 45-year-old who has frequently spoken out against draconian laws to curb free speech in Muslim countries said he was puzzled by the harassment.

“I don’t claim to be a mufti or imam with religious authority,” Akyol told FMT hours before his detention. “I just had referred to the more liberal views in Islamic tradition, from an academic perspective, and the fact that even this raises alarm is puzzling to me.”

SEPANG: Turkish-born writer Mustafa Akyol has expressed confidence that the Muslim world will eventually realise how valuable free speech is to Islam.

This follows his detention by religious authorities on suspicion of speaking on Islam without officially recognised credentials.

Speaking to FMT moments before his scheduled flight out of Malaysia, Akyol said:

“Of course I have hope for the future of the ummah and I hope that the authoritarianism that we see repeatedly in different parts of the world today in the name of religion will end.

“Today there are already many Muslims who are liberal. Unfortunately, there are also still Muslim authorities who believe in using coercive force to impose what they understand about Islam.”

Akyol said change was inevitable because the number of Muslims who understand the benefits of free speech would continue to increase.

“We will be able to build arguments and make better defences of our beliefs and ideas rather than punish people.”

He said he based his optimism on his knowledge of Christian history.

“Christianity was even more rigid than Islam for centuries, but Christianity, at least in the West, changed and adapted to the ideas of liberal democracy.

“Now, in the Christian world, you can disagree with different religious interpretations but you don’t punish those who disagree with you.”

He acknowledged, however, that the change he envisioned would come only after a long time.

“It’s a long battle, but being pessimistic would be to give up the battle and I don’t want to do that.”

Akyol, on his fifth trip to Malaysia for a lecture tour, had gone to KLIA on Monday afternoon to board a flight to Rome via Istanbul, but soon afterwards lost communication with his wife.

He was supposed to have boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Rome at 11.35pm before continuing his journey to Boston. He is a senior visiting fellow at the Wellesley College.

If you believe the best breakfast smoothies boast a taste of the tropics, this is the smoothie kit you need to keep in your freezer. It comes together with a medley of sweet topical fruits partnered with a pop of pungent fresh ginger and the warm flavor and golden hue of turmeric.

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As appealing as a week at the beach sounds any time of year, for pet lovers who are forced to leave their four-legged companions at home, there can be a bit of separation anxiety — on both sides. Since taking Fido or Fluffy along with you to paradise isn’t always an option, three pet lovers in Sydney, Australia, came up with what just might be the next best thing: beach gear featuring your favorite fuzzball’s mug.

Known as Petflair, the company — which recently launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter that has already raised more than four times its initial goal of $11,917 — will customize a range of beachwear and accessories including swimsuits, towels and bags, with an enormous photo of your beloved pet. Saint Bernard on a Speedo? You’ve got it! Beagle on your beach tote? No problem!

In the swimsuit department, women have got three options, all of them one-piece suits: the open-back Millie, the cross-back Frankie or the string-back Coco. Men can order the Max, an Olympic-style swim brief that comes in a dozen different colors and also allows for a pattern add-on — there are also beach towels, bags and sticker sets. Turning your furry, feathered or finned friend into a fashion icon is super simple: choose your item, upload a photo of your pet, pick a color and hit send. Check out the video below for a closer look.

As the Kickstarter campaign is still ongoing, the first batch of orders are expected to arrive in December — which makes this a perfect holiday gift for the animal obsessive in your life.

Featured image by Petflair/Facebook.

One of the techniques I walked away with from French culinary school was how to make a pan sauce from all the tasty browned bits left in the pan after searing meat. Combined with a few très French ingredients, like shallots, white wine, and two kinds of mustard, this braised chicken dish has all my French favorites: tender chicken with super-crispy skin sitting on top of a comforting-yet-elegant mustardy pan sauce. And believe it or not, it comes together in just about 30 minutes in one skillet, making you the hero of the weeknight dinner, mon ami.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has defended his recent visit to the White House, saying that Malaysia would not venture into any investment if it doesn’t benefit the country.

It's no surprise those bags of frozen meatballs are a top seller at IKEA's U.S. stores. But the bright-blue tubes of Kalles Kaviar smoked fish roe spread? No way. Who buys those? Turns out, lots of people. In fact, they're the most popular of all IKEA's seafood products. And those bland-looking cylinders of dry crispbread? They're a best-seller too, as are those suspect-looking jars of pickled fish fillets. In fact, everything I've usually avoided in IKEA's "Swedish Market" grocery section is a top-seller for the chain's stateside stores. I had to wonder, is it the novelty factor? Or are there really that many Swedish ex-pats living in the States?

Or maybe that stuff is actually pretty good. The only way to know is to put them to the test, so I sampled IKEA's most popular products in six different categories, plus a few extra items, in order to find the store's best groceries.

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I know what you're thinking: boring ol' chicken breasts, so dry and flavorless. But please don't automatically dismiss this hardworking and versatile protein. It's the jumping-off point for numerous dinner dishes that come together in an hour or less. In fact, you should consider chicken breast a blank canvas for wonderful and exciting flavors and textures. Whether you fry it up crisp, shred it into a casserole, or tuck it into a taco, the results will be moist and flavorful and very satisfying.

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Here are five of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last week, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.

Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.

"A Dogs Life" is a mash-up I made for a 2009 Steve Martin contest using his song "Wally on the Run," featured in his album "The Crow."

Open thread below....

[amazon]https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005G6PQTS[/amazon]

KUALA LUMPUR: The commencement of the Sungai Buloh-Kajang mass rapid transit (MRT) line has resulted in a spurt of development in Sungai Buloh.

Property development is especially vigorous near the four stations that serve the area – Sungai Buloh, Kampung Selamat, Kwasa Damansara and Kwasa Sentral.

Among these are the D’Sara Sentral by Mah Sing Group Bhd, SqWhere by Selangor Dredging Bhd, Residensi Suasana @ Damai by MK Land Holdings Bhd and The Zizz by Jaya Megah Building & Engineering Sdn Bhd. Another is the 2,330-acre township Kwasa Damansara by Kwasa Land Sdn Bhd.

The Edge quoted CBRE Williams Talhar & Wong managing director Foo Gee Jen as saying new townships and commercial sub-centres were taking shape in Sungai Buloh.

He added that industrial properties in the area were being converted for commercial use while villages and plantation land were giving way to modern housing schemes and high-rise condominiums.

“Convenient accessibility to destinations such as the Kuala Lumpur city centre, retail centres and KL Sentral transport hub will appeal to and attract young urbanites and small family households to high-rise residential developments,” The Edge quoted him as saying.

The report quoted Tang Chee Meng, chief operating officer of Henry Butcher (M) Sdn Bhd, as saying that Sungai Buloh would become an attractive alternative for people working in KL.

The second phase of the MRT is the proposed Sungai Buloh–Serdang–Putrajaya line.

Landserve Sdn Bhd managing director Chen King Hoaw was quoted as saying a major boost for the area would come from the two MRT lines connected to the Sungai Buloh station, which is an interchange terminal.

“We expect property prices here to increase in the mid to long-term period,” he added.

In addition to the MRT Phase 1, buses also ply the area. There is also a KTM Komuter station next to the Sungai Buloh MRT station and the KL-Rawang line runs through the locality.

The Edge quoted Foo as saying that transit-oriented developments or transit adjacent developments, particularly high-rise residential projects, would be in demand.

It quoted Tang as saying: “High-end residential enclaves like Sierramas and Valencia are targeted at the higher-income group, while the upper-middle-income group can go for newer condominiums or serviced apartments such as SqWhere and D’Sara Sentral, or terraced houses in Subang Bestari and Subang 2. For the low-to-middle-income groups, there are medium-cost apartments like Danau Bayu and Sri Putra II.”

Chen said single and double-storey terraced houses were seeing the most demand, although apartments were also becoming more popular.

Everyone knows — and either loves or hates — Gordon Ramsay for his hot-headed alter-ego on Hell's Kitchen and blunt criticism on MasterChef. But the sharp-tongued chef has a sweet spot for the kiddos he judges on MasterChef Junior, where he offers hugs and encouraging words to tweens under stress behind the burners.

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By Azhar “Art” Harun

There is a far deeper – and dare I say, more serious – issue than mere religious sensitivity in the beer festival polemic.

The discourse or debate – if we could call it that – over the beer festival issue is symptomatic of a society that struggles to differentiate and thus, recognise, the differences between personal emotions that stem from one’s faith and rights that are guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, no less.

Of even more concern is the feeling or sense of entitlement that a section of our society harbours, that forms the premise of the objection against the planned “festival”. That is the feeling that the sensitivities of some are entitled to be “respected”. Ultimately, this sense of entitlement ends with demand for respect.

Amid all these attacks and counter-attacks, within what we Malaysians call discourse or debate, the oft-repeated adage that “respect is earned” is raped, murdered, dead and buried.

In a startling – but in fact, not very shocking – moment of decisiveness, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) quickly asked that the planned event be cancelled, citing “political sensitivities surrounding the event” (according to the organiser) as the reason for the decision.

This is not the first time that “sensitivities” have lorded over freedom and liberties and, in fact, the law.

How many times have we witnessed Lord Sensitive wielding its massive axe over the head of the people and whipping the ass out of Tommy Helpless’ rights, freedom and liberty?

Thus we see that whatever happens in a certain religious institution will not be followed through with enforcement of the law even though it causes sexual abuse, injuries and even multiple deaths.

We also see the government back-tracking on a parliamentary bill on unilateral conversion – a decision that is so patently taken because of sensitivities rather than the official excuse that the bill might be unconstitutional. I mean, why didn’t the government think about unconstitutionality before presenting the bill in the first place?

How many times have we witnessed even the highest court of the land shirking its functions and responsibilities on the grounds that the proper forum should be the shariah court, even though the questions at hand are questions relating to the constitution and private rights that are quite obviously well within the purview of the civil courts?

How many times have we collectively avoided talking about child marriages because of sensitivities? And so we have developed a practice – a practice that is so wrong on all fronts, especially that it should take place in the year 2017 – of marrying off young victims of rape to the rapists in order to preserve family honour and to give the young victims a life!

“At least she has a husband,” uttered a politician.

Yes. All in the name of sensitivities.

Years of being bombarded in mind and soul that we are entitled to privileges, including respect and honour, have finally yielded a group of people who demand that their sensitivities be respected and honoured, lest they go ape.

It would than appear that there are many who are drunk, regardless of the presence, or otherwise, of alcohol.

I fear that soon, this country will be governed by sensitivities.

Which makes me wonder, whose sensitivities would be sensitively chosen to lord over other sensitivities?

Azhar “Art” Harun is a lawyer.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

While trying out Mario Kart VR et cetera at Bandai Namco’s VR Zone Shinjuku yesterday, I visited the cafe inside the virtual reality arcade. I was about to make a mistake.

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GEORGE TOWN: Traffic heading towards the Penang bridge was almost at a standstill with bumper to bumper traffic for about four kilometres on the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.

Talk about the high holidays! A Canadian marijuana grower said Tuesday that its medical pot had been certified by an Ottawa rabbi — the first time in the country that ganja was ruled kosher, the Ottawa Citizen reported. The certification merges two key Jewish values, said Rabbi Levy Teitlebaum,...

BioLite, maker of our favorite camping stoves and lighting, is back with a FirePit we’ve been psyched about since we saw it in action back in December. Their Kickstarter launched today and is already... on fire.

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KUALA LUMPUR: CIMB Equities Research has upgraded UMW Holdings Bhd from Reduce to Hold as it raised the target price from RM4.90 to RM5.90.

This sheet pan supper will show you just how quick and simple it can be to get a salmon dinner on the table any night of the week. It all starts by firing up your broiler. Do that and you will be tucking into perfectly cooked fillets with just the right amount of char around the edges. We're making it a meal by partnering this weeknight-friendly fish with crispy red potato rounds and tender asparagus spears. Oh, and it will all happen in under 20 minutes. Yes, really!

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It's time to reach in the back of your fridge for that tub of miso paste, because it will treat you to the best buttered noodles you have ever tasted. It should be noted that as a pasta-lover I don't say that lightly. Umami-packed miso paste, a few pats of butter, and starchy pasta water are simmered together with garlic and browned mushrooms for a rich and ultra-savory weeknight sauce to be paired with any type of pasta you're cooking up. It's a no-fuss homemade sauce you can call on any night of the week, guaranteed to hit the table in about 20 minutes.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) has rejected an application to hold the "Better Beer Festival 2017" planned for Oct 6 and 7, citing "political sensitivity".

This Sunday’s Kindle ebook sale focuses on “gripping real stories,” including autobiographies, self help books, and historical retellings. A few of the most popular titles are below, but head over to Amazon to see the rest.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd has refuted a blog that the national oil company plans to terminate 5,000 employees next year.