astuteness to observe religious rulings in certain simple matters and
in some encounters. The universal handshake is quite challenging for
Muslims who hold strong convictions concerning the prohibitive
injunction on the direct touching or contact of a non-muhrim's hand
without just cause. For instance, the Iranian diplomatic staff after
their 1979 Revolution put up posters reminding guests to their
embassies of such prohibition in a polite and subtle manner so as to
assure visitors that their staff had no intention to offend but were
simply observing Islamic rulings. In the early days of Reformasi when
Dr Wan Azizah or affectionately known as Kak Wan launched ADIL as an
organized movement and as she went about touring the country, she was
usually spotted with a shawl over her shoulders. The shawl was used to
fulfil the ruling but without offending well wishers and supporters who
came from all walks of life to shake hands with such a wonderful
person. Later on, she wore a glove. This is similar to the one worn by
Tabung Haji desk officers in handling customers when they come into
contact who are non-muhrim.
Why then did such a simple gesture done to observe a religious ruling
by Dr Wan Azizah is being mocked by the one and only political gung-ho
defector MP representing Kulim Bandar Bharu is anyone's guess. It seems
that among the common traits of defectors are to attack and vilify
those who once ago were held in their high esteem and confidence.
Investigating further, there is the attempt to ridicule and deride the
high regard morally that the public has consistently had with Anwar
Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah and her family. We can observe and record these
attacks from the speeches and statements that come from various
defectors as if they were set pre-conditions of their rehabilitation to
get back into the governing regime. Defectors look for her
vulnerability to take cowardly pot shots to swipe and stain her family
name while sometimes stopping short to show that as if they still
cared. How pathetic.
Dr Wan Azizah and family have been through this over and over again. We
pray and hope that they shall persevere and remain strong. They are the
symbol of a decent and upright family somehow caught in a strong test
of faith and will. We are demanding such high moral standards from them
without even being in their shoes and thus lose sense of the reality
that sinks in that makes certain people run cowering for their lives to
defect. Can anyone imagine how is was for an eye doctor who became a
housewife albeit a very important one to come to lead such a new
fledgling rainbow political party while at the same time caring for her
incarcerated husband and taking care of the whole family. Just consider
the challenges going to parliament after the disastrous 2004 elections,
being the sole KeAdilan MP amidst the stares, the vilification, the
slurs and the innuendos of hostile ruling MPs'. Women's rights groups
simply ignored her plight being more concerned about assailing anything
non-secular and religious.
We shall relate an incident observed by my other half during the heated
and intense nomination day of the November 1999 elections at Tengku
Bainon Educational College nomination centre for the Permatang Pauh
seat. Dr Wan Azizah's candidacy was up against Dr Ibrahim Saad, a close
family friend and Anwar Ibrahim's former political colleague and
loyalist. My significant other was with one of Dr Wan Azizah's daughter
engaging in conversation. Then, a voice, a lady called out gently to
the daughter and asked her (called herself auntie) to fetch a cup of
cold drinks. The daughter dutifully went to deliver the drink to the
lady. My other half enquired, "Who was that?". The daughter
replied, "O, that is Auntie Zainab, the wife of Dr Ibrahim Saad". When
asked further, she said they as a family had no grievances against them
and still regarded them as friends of the family. She could say that
even when their father was taken away from them, slandered, beaten up
and jailed, and their mother was for the first time facing a political
tussle with an erstwhile family friend who had turned on them.
Indeed, this was a truly noble family and they bore no vindictiveness.
Whatever the Kulim MP might say, he has left something invaluable
behind for some illusive and misleading pot of gold.
Abu Omar
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