Sisters In Islam
You are welcome to write to us at
sistersinislam@pd.jaring.my

Sisters in Islam (SIS) is an independent non-governmental organisation,
formed in 1988, which believes in an Islam that upholds the principles
of equality, justice, freedom and dignity.

 

SIS FREE LEGAL ADVICE

LEGAL CLINIC
on Shariah
& Civil Law

every Monday, Thursday & Friday from
10 am - 5 pm

CALL US AT TELENISA LINE:
03-7784 3733
OR
 telenisa@sisters
inislam.org.my

LATEST BARAZA!
Baraza 3 - Islam and Human Rights: Conflicting or Complementary?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quotation
"My claim is not that we need to secularize the state in order to be modern. My claim is that we need a secular state to be better Muslims"
- Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im
WHAT'S NEW
SIS IN THE MEDIA

The Star, 25 June 2008
Council gets a lot of ‘lip’ stick

KUALA LUMPUR: Women's groups are again outraged that Kelantan has issued directives on dressing for women.

The latest is the Kota Baru Municipal Council's circular asking Muslim women not to use heavy lipstick nor wear high-heels as they could lead to immoral activities.

“Again and again and again, they are singing the same old song. It is so sad that again they are telling women what to wear and not to wear,” said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen. Read More

MalaysiaKini.com, 24 June 2008
SIS: Tiada fakta gincu dorong rogol

Tidak ada fakta yang menyokong dakwaan bahawa memakai gincu dan berkasut tumit tinggi menyebabkan wanita dirogol, kata Sisters in Islam (SIS).

"Larangan ini dibuat daripada sikap prasangka dan seharusnya berdasarkan kepada penyelidikan dan data.

"MPKB mengeluarkan dasar atau undang-undang kena ada fakta," kata penyelaras program SIS, Norhayati Kaprawi kepada Malaysiakini, mengulas laporan wujud larangan terbaru Majlis Perbandaran Kota Bharu-Bandar Raya Islam (MPKB-BRI). Read More

The Sun, 19 June 2008
Remembering my friend Toni

I REMEMBER the first time I met Toni Kasim. I had been in Kuala Lumpur all of three days and was racing around to get oriented. Having just finished watching a play, I chatted away in the parking lot, keen to immerse myself in a new land.

When Toni (left) overheard me say I would be working with Sisters In Islam, she immediately came over. With her trademark warmth and ebullience, she introduced herself and welcomed me aboard. I rightly suspected then only that I had found a friend. Read More

The Sun, 5 June 2008
Women's activist 'Toni' dies

KUALA LUMPUR: Women's rights activist Zaiton Mohamed Kassim, 41, aka "Toni Kassim", died early yesterday from deodenal cancer. She was staying at her sister's house in Taman Mesra, Batu tiga.

Prayers were held at the Jamek Fastabiqul Khayrat mosque in Shah Alam before burial at the nearby Pusara Kenangan Abadi Muslim cemetery at 1pm.

The funeral was attended by many NGO personalities, including Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez and Women's Aid Organisation president Ivy Josiah and political leaders PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Subang MP R.Sivarasa, and Kota Damansara assemblyman Dr Nasir Hashim. Read More

The Star, 4 June 2008
Activist Toni Kassim dies
Zaitun Kasim

SHAH ALAM: Human and women's rights activist Zaiton Kasim passed away at 5am Wednesday, after months of battling cancer. She was 41.

Zaiton, who was affectionately known as Toni, passed away in her sleep at her sister's home in Batu Tiga, Shah Alam. She was laid to rest at about 1pm at the Batu Tiga muslim cemetery.

Her peers described her as "witty, passionate, a wonderfully caring person, one who had an infectious smile and a great sense of humour, a defender of human rights, one whose heart and soul was in her advocacy". Read More

MalaysiaKini.com, 4 June 2008
Women's activist Toni Kasim dies

Well-known women’s activist Zaitun ‘Toni’ Kasim passed away this morning at the age of 41. She had been suffering from duodenal cancer for several months.

She died at 5am at her sister’s house at Taman Mesra, Batu Tiga in Shah Alam, Selangor.
Zaitun had, over the years, advocated reform in laws that discriminated against women and had held key positions in a number of women's organisations. She was also an educator on HIV/Aids. Read More

Berita Harian (Citra), 3 June 2008
Wanita perlu miliki 3R harungi cabaran hidup
Bangga: Dari kiri Azliza, Zainah, Low dan Ng bergambar selepas penyampaian Anugerah Wanita Her World, baru-baru ini.

PENINGKATAN jangka hayat daripada 57 kepada 76 tahun kini, membuktikan tahap kesihatan wanita semakin baik dan menerusi penjagaan kesihatan yang baik, teratur dan terancang, usia berkenaan dapat dinikmati untuk diri sendiri atau bersama keluarga.

Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, berkata sekiranya dibandingkan puluhan tahun yang lalu, tahap kesihatan wanita bukan saja tidak membanggakan, sebaliknya hak mereka dinafikan seperti dibayar dengan gaji yang lebih kecil berbanding lelaki hanya kerana jantina. Read More

The Star, 2 June 2008
Women: Men must be encouraged to practise safe sex too

PETALING JAYA: Women’s groups have come out in support of the Health Ministry for promoting the use of condoms to combat HIV, but say practising safe sex is the responsibility of both men and women.

Sisters in Islam programme manager Norhayati Kaprawi said it was her group's hope that both men and women are encouraged to practise safe sex.

“We hope the ministry allocates a bigger budget for free condoms for those who need it, like drug abusers and their partners.” Read More

ZAINAH ANWAR'S COLUMN IN THE STAR
1 June 2008
Umno needs to reinvent

Umno must decide which road to take for it to remain the backbone of the Barisan Nasional. It cannot be all things to all Malays.

DATUK Shahrir Samad has always been known as a politician who speaks his mind, and who has been punished for doing so. I can’t agree with him more when he said on Monday that Umno members are no longer interested “in championing the cause of the party and country, but their own interest.”

Their goal, he said in a Bernama report, was no longer to provide service to the community and feedback to the party on the people’s needs and concerns, but to gain support of other Umno members to achieve their own political ambitions. Read More

The Star, 23 May 2008
Islamic group’s uniform comment slammed
Dress code debacle: An Islamic group condemned girls’ school uniform, saying it encouraged rape and pre-marital sex.

PETALING JAYA: Something must be seriously wrong with local men if the sight of girls in their school uniform turns them on, says Sisters in Islam

.Programme manager, Norhayati Kaprawi, describes claims made by National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia that the school uniform worn by girls at government schools “encouraged rape and pre-marital sex” as baseless.

“I totally disagree with the statement. What? Even wearing baju kurung is still not enough?” she asked. Read More

Malaysiakini.com, 16 May 2008
No place for NRD to make moral judgments

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) refers to the letter JPN on the look-out for illegitimate Malay children. This letter highlights the problems that some parents face in registering the birth of their children. Read More

The Star, 9 May 2008
MCA hails court decision

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA has welcomed the Penang Syariah High Court’s decision to allow Muslim convert Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah to renounce Islam and revert to her original faith. Read More

Aljazeera, 5 May 2008
Anger at Malaysia women travel curb
Women's groups have condemned the plan as "patronising" and out of step with the times [EPA]

Women's groups in Malaysia have reacted with outrage over a senior official's proposal to require women travelling overseas alone to carry written consent for their journeys from their families or employers.

The proposal, put forward by Malaysia's foreign minister, Rais Yatim, was condemned by one group as "condescending" and a step backwards. Read More

The Star, 5 May 2008
Travel consent plan slammed

PETALING JAYA: The proposal by the Foreign Ministry for women planning to travel overseas alone to get the consent of their family is an infringement of women’s rights, Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said. Read More

Reuters, 4 May 2008
Malaysia angers women with travel-restriction idea

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian women's groups reacted with outrage on Sunday to a government proposal to impose restrictions on women planning to travel overseas on their own. Read More

New Straits Times , 4 May 2008
Women's groups express outrage
National Council for Women’s Organisations deputy president Faridah Khalid (left) and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen

KUALA LUMPUR: Regressive. Unfair. Biased.

These were some of the words used to describe the proposal by the Foreign Ministry that women leaving the country alone be required to have declarations from parents or employers stating the reason for their travels.Read More

The Star, 1 May 2008
Gender equality group presents MPs with kits

THE Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) presented folder kits to the 222 MPs, asking them to look into the urgent reforms which needed to be addressed relating to gender equality. Read More

CAMPAIGN AGAINST BOOK BANNING
Sisters In Islam campaigned "Against Book Banning" at the Kuala Lumpur Alternative Book Festival on 3rd & 4th May 2008 at The Annexe, Central Market. Read More..
Q&A LEGAL COLUMN IN UTUSAN MALAYSIA
Potong gaji bayar nafkah anak 23 May 2008 - Saya dan suami bercerai secara baik pada 2002 yang lalu. Semasa perintah perceraian dikeluarkan, bekas suami bersetuju untuk membayar nafkah dua orang anak sebanyak RM200 sebulan. Tetapi dia tidak pernah membayar dengan tetap.Jika saya minta baru dia beri, jika tidak, senyap saja. Read More
(NEW-ENGLISH TRANSLATION) Husband not being fair after polygamy, 11th February 2005
(NEW-ENGLISH TRANSLATION) Jointly-Owned Matrimonial Property Deducted Before Estate Divided Via Faraid?, 18th November 2005
(NEW-ENGLISH TRANSLATION) Protecting Married Women’s Rights with Ta’liq, 21st April 2006
(NEW-ENGLISH TRANSLATION) Husband denies having pronounced three talaqs, 10th June 2005
(NEW-ENGLISH TRANSLATION) Was there resumption of conjugal relationship (ruju’)?, 3 August 2007
(NEW-ENGLISH TRANSLATION) Ex-Husband neglected to pay child maintenance for five years 17th June 2005

STATEMENT

Joint Press Statement by Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG)

No place for NRD to make moral judgments
16 May 2008

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) refers to the letter JPN on the look-out for illegitimate Malay children. This letter highlights the problems that some parents face in registering the birth of their children.

Joint Press Statement by Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG)

JAG accelerates campaign against Sexist MPs
2 March 2008

JAG is dismayed that 11 sexists MPs have been re-nominated by political parties to stand in this 12th general election. Three Members of Parliament, Datuk Mohamad Said Yusuf of Jasin was dropped and Raja Dato' Ahmad Zainuddin and Dato' Haji Muhamad are not contesting.

ISA a disgrace to Islam Hadhari and mockery to democracy
13 December 2007

Sisters in Islam strongly urges the Malaysian government to review its decision to use the ISA against five Hindu Rights Action Force leaders. We call for their immediate release.

Challenging Obstacles, Demanding Implementation:
‘No’ To Sexist MPs, ‘Yes’ To More Women Candidates!
8 December 2007

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) has been monitoring the debates of the Members of Parliament (MPs) for the past few years. We are disturbed that some of the MPs continue to make remarks which discriminate against women, and are sexist. The MPs who make such remarks show that they have a poor grasp of gender issues.

APPEAL LETTER

Appeal for the uplifting of punishment against the rape victim known as
'the woman from Qatif', 26 November 2007

As a Muslim women's group that believes in Islam's commitment to justice and equality, Sisters in Islam is alarmed at the recent inhumane sentence of 200 lashes and 6 months in prison meted out to a gang-rape survivor known as "The Girl from al-Qatif".
MEMORANDUM

The Concluding Comments from the Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

On 24th May 2006, the Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) reviewed the Government of Malaysia’s first and second report on the implementation of the CEDAW Convention at the 35th CEDAW Session in New York. Prior to the session, the Malaysian NGO Shadow Report, prepared by 28 organisations, was submitted to the CEDAW Committee as a critique to the Government Report, and it had also identified critical issues that continue to affect women in Malaysia, along with specific recommendations...

 
Do you want to know your rights in Shariah Laws?

Click here for Quote's Archive

Sample of additional Ta'liq letter - Also available in ENGLISH (New)

Know Your Rights Brochure (New)
 
LATEST PUBLICATION
Unveiling the Ideal: A New Look at Early Muslim Women
by Shayan Afzal Khan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2008 - SIS Forum Malaysia, No 7, Jalan 6/10, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia