KUALA TERENGGANU, 25 Aug 2009: The Terengganu state government has no intention of emulating Selangor in empowering its mosque officials to arrest Muslims drinking alcohol in public places in the state, Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said today.
He said the existing laws and enforcement personnel were sufficient to handle such matters, and that it was unnecessary to empower mosque officials.
“It is a difficult thing to empower officials … there is the fear of abuse of power. People empowered to arrest must be commissioned and they should also attend courses,” he told reporters after the state assembly meeting here. — Bernama
Azizi Khan says
“It is a difficult thing to empower officials … there is the fear of abuse of power. ”
And there will be abuse of power. Every Malay-looking Malaysian will be harassed — mark my words. We’d be required to whip out our MyKad for any and all idiots who identifies himself [or herself] as any official empowered by the government. How do we even acertain that these identification is current and accurate?
Besides, how far do we want to take this anyway? Shall we form lynch mobs and charge into every hotel in Selangor? Burn down a pub or two? We are Muslims, right? We can do anything! No one can question us! Afterall, we have the ISA to silence anyone who says anything!
How about honour killings next? Anyone up for that? We might as well go all the way now…
“Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”