Mohd Affendi, a 42-year-old widower, spent time on 16 June with a woman not from his family. If no appeal is made, he will be struck six times with a rotan cane on 16 December. His action is an offence in the four Malaysian states ruled by the Malaysian Islamic Party. So far, this kind of punishment has been meted out only in Terengganu, the first public caning involving two lesbians in 2018.
Located in southern Malaysia, the state plans to turn down applications to build data processing centres, one of the main sectors in Southeast Asia. In the region bordering Singapore, residents have already experienced water shortages and blackouts. However, the government wants to develop the digital economy to support economic growth.
The request made to the local government by John Ilus during a parliamentary debate. Sarawak is a state in Borneo where Christians are in the majority and where missionaries have historically played an important role in the growth of the education system. ‘Knowledge of Scripture is a unifying force and an essential component in educating young people in pluralism’.
The issue is front-page news after the states of Sarawak and Sabah decided to promote the use of English in secondary schools. For Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, it is necessary to enhance the skills of students, but critics blame identity politics for electoral advantages.
The Malaysian priest who participated in the drafting of the final document that the Synodal Assembly is discussing: ‘Dialogue here is part of the experience we live every day within a pluralistic culture’. Indian Cardinal Ferrao, Filipino David and Melkite Patriarch Absi elected to the General Council of the Synod.
The controversial legislation presented for second and third reading in the current parliamentary session. Opponents reject without appeal the text that would grant broad powers to an unelected but ministerial-appointed official and turn a fatwa (also for non-Muslims) into law. For the promoters, it aims to define the role and responsibilities of the mufti in the federal territories.
