Islam doesn’t teach us to invade other people’s privacy – PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Islam does not teach its followers to use excessive law enforcement by trespassing into other people’s homes and invading their privacy in the middle of the night.

On the contrary, the Prime Minister said Islam was a religion that emphasised on universal human rights.

“Islam does not tell us to find other people’s wrongdoings by trespassing their homes, that is not Islam,” he told reporters after opening the Ageing, Learning and Technology : Enriching Lives Connecting Communities Conference yesterday.

Also present were his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali and Third Age Media Association president Cheah Tuck Wing.

Dr Mahathir was commenting on a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa that no more knocks on the door in the middle of the night and no more breaking down of doors by the religious authorities investigating reports of ‘khalwat’ or other alleged wrongdoings.

In an interview with The Star newspaper, Mujahid was reported to have said that what Muslims do behind closed doors was none of the government’s business.

Dr Mahathir said Islam was also not a religion that would punish someone so easily by taking one’s life indiscriminately.

Islam does not agree with killing because it is a sin, he said.

“Islam is not a cruel religion. It’s not about chopping head and hands. It’s not that.

“There are various ways of punishment which are milder, but these people want to harass people, cut people’s hands and people’s heads, that’s not Islamic,” he added.