Of Riduan...from Sabah

I normally do not discuss issues related to religion. Reason? I am not an ulama' but this time, may I make an exception?Half way through the morning, a Chinese colleague met me at the hallway and asked me a "sensitive" question. He make it a point to point out that he asked out of his thirst for knowledge and truth which I replied, I will give my two cents opinion based on my limited knowledge.

The centre of our discussion is Riduan Masmud who shot to fame for his "misadventure". You see, he raped a 13 year old girl who happened to be working with him at that particular point of time and later married her when his "adventure" was reported to the police and he was brought to trial. That, is the main point!

I first answered that it depends on whether he was charged in civil and syariah court. The news pointed that he is currently put on trial in a civil court.

If it is in civil court, then he has already committed statutory rape, regardless with or wothout consent. Round one against Riduan.

Now Riduan claimed that he has married the girl after the incident. Well and fine!. Now he further claimed that is is acceptable. Correct but he must also know that in syariah court, he will be found guilty for rapiong the girl when they are not muhrim! Consent or no consent, Riduan has commited a crime and that crime is punishable by either death (if he is married and he is married at the point of time) or lashes (if he is a bachelor, which he is not at the time of crime). Riduan better watch what he says because the more he talks, the more trouble he will be in.

Further, has the prosecution team take into account that there might be sexual harrassmjent element here. Why? Simply because Riduan was her employer at that time. Riduan may have committed sexual harrassment before he raped the girl.

Yes, the girl's father accepted their fate that Riduan is now his son-in-law. What will you do if yoyu are poor and faced with the situation? This is maruah and Riduan may have bought over the father to hide the shame. Is this how Riduan treats the poor? Just because he is richer and well-off, he can do what he wants to do?

I stand corrected in what I say. Menuntut ilmu adalah fardu bagi insan.

*note : this is my second typeover since my first draft gone AWOL....uuurrrggghhhh...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...