KENYATAAN MEDIA: HUKUMAN TUJUH HARI TERHADAP YB MARIA CHIN MENGEJUTKAN!
Kami amat prihatin dengan hukuman penjara 7 hari yang dijatuhkan ke atas Ahli Parlimen YB Maria Chin Abdullah pada Isnin, 25 April 2022 oleh Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Kuala Lumpur, Yang Arif Hakim Tuan Mohamed Fouzi bin Mokhtar.
Maria dijatuhi hukuman penjara kerana didiapati menghina mahkamah selepas dia mengeluarkan kenyataan pada 5 September 2019 yang mengatakan bahawa wanita Islam masih didiskriminasi di bawah sistem perundangan syariah. Kenyataan ini dilaporkan "menghina" sistem kehakiman Syariah.
Kenyataan Maria dibuat berhubung hukuman penjara 7 hari yang diperintahkan oleh hakim yang sama terhadap ibu tunggal Emilia Hanafi, yang didapati bersalah menghina mahkamah. Ibu tersebut, yang mempunyai hak terhadap penjagaan anak-anaknya, atas permintaan anak-anaknya sendiri, telah menghantar satu surat untuk menukar tarikh lawatan kepada bapa mereka melalui peguamnya supaya dapat menghadiri satu aktiviti keagamaan. Dia telah berjanji untuk menggantikan tarikh lawatan pada minggu sejurus selepas itu. Walau bagaimanapun, Mahkamah mendapati Emilia melanggar perintah mahkamah dan menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 7 hari.
Kenyataan Maria telah menimbulkan persoalan tentang hukuman penjara tidak seimbang yang dikenakan terhadap isteri kerana hanya menukar tarikh lawatan dengan notis penuh kepada suami. Beliau juga telah membangkitkan isu diskriminasi dalam sistem syariah terhadap wanita kerana dalam 30 tahun aktivisme, beliau telah menyaksikan banyak kes di mana ramai wanita Islam yang bercerai terpaksa melalui kesusahan dalam perjuangan mereka untuk mencari keadilan.
Walaupun kita menghormati keputusan mahkamah syariah, mana-mana sistem perundangan, sivil atau syariah, harus terbuka kepada kritikan yang membangkitkan apa yang dilihat sebagai masalah institusi. Penghakiman terhadap kes juga merupakan perkara yang berkepentingan awam dan boleh diulas oleh sesiapa sahaja mengikut hak kebebasan bersuara yang dijamin oleh perlembagaan. Lebih-lebih lagi seorang seperti Maria yang mempunyai amanah untuk menjalankan tugas awam sebagai ahli Parlimen. Komennya tidak mencarut atau berniat jahat. Ianya jelas dilakukan dengan niat baik dengan pandangan bahawa sistem perundangan syariah dan badan-badan lain akan mencari penyelesaian. Hakim-hakim sama sekali tidak terlepas daripada kritikan awam dan akauntabiliti kepada masyarakat yang mereka berkhidmat, agar dapat melahirkan keyakinan terhadap badan kehakiman.
Hukuman penjara 7 hari Maria juga menimbulkan persoalan serius tentang ketidakwajaran prosedur. Hukuman penjara yang dijatuhkan ke atasnya tanpa kehadiran beliau adalah salah dan, kami dinasihatkan, bercanggah dengan peruntukan undang-undang sedia ada mengenai penjatuhan hukuman.
Kami sukacita dapat mengetahui bahawa hukuman terhadap YB Maria ditangguhkan sementara menunggu rayuan. Kami akan menyokong YB Maria dalam melaksanakan hak kebebasan bersuara beliau dalam membangkitkan perkara-perkara yang mempunyai kepentingan awam yang jelas walaupun kritikal terhadap sistem kehakiman syariah, sama seperti yang kami lakukan ketika berdepan dengan subjek sistem sivil. Tandatangani oleh:
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Pandan
Mohamad Sabu, Kota Raja
Darell Leiking, Penampang
Saifuddin Nasution,
Nurul Izzah, Pematang Pauh
Syed Saddiq, Muar
Salahuddin Ayub, Pulai
Mukhriz Mahathir, Jerlun
Amiruddin Hamzah, Kubang Pasu
Anthony Loke, Seremban
Lim Guan Eng, Bagan
Sivarasa Rasiah, Sg Buloh
Lim Kit Siang, Iskandar Puteri
Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Ledang
Noor Amin Ahmad, Kangar
Wong Chen, Subang
Chan Ming Kai, Alor Setar
Natrah Ismail, Sekinjang
Hassan Abdul Karim, Pasir Gudang
Fuziah Saleh, Kuantan
Abdullah Sani, Kapar
Mazlee Malik, Simpang Renggam
S. Kesavan, Sungai Siput
Chang Lih Kang, Tanjung Malim
Bakthiar bin Wan Chik, Balik Pulau
Azman Ismail, Kuala Kedah
Sim Tze Tsin, Bayan Baru
Karuppalya Mutusamy, Padang Serai
Fahmi Fadzil, Lembah Pantai
Nik Nazmi, Setiawanga
Akmal Nasir, Johore
Charles Santiago, Klang
Wong Hon Wai, Bukit Bendera
Kasthuri Patto, Batu Kawan
Pang Hok Liong, Labis
Mohd Hatta Md Ramli, Lumut
Thomas Su, Kampar
Ong Kian Ming, Bangi
Teo Nie Ching, Kulai
Kelvin Yii, Bandar Kuching
Alice Lau, Lanang
Wong Kah Woh, Ipoh Timor
Hannah Yeoh, Segambut
Chan Foong Hin, Kota Kinabalu
Wong Ling Biu, Sarikei
Lim Lip Eng, Kepong
Wilfred Madius Tangau, Tuaran
M.Kula Segaran, Ipoh Barat
Teh Kok Lim, Taiping
Teresa Kok, Seputeh
Oscar Ling, Sibu
Tan Kok Wai, Cheras
Khalid Abdul Samad, Shah Alam.
Tony Puah, Damansara
Sin Chee Keong, Bukit Mertajam
Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Parit Buntar
Ustaz Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus, Hulu Langat
Mahfuz Haji Omar, Pokok Sena
Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, Sepang
Hasan Bahrom, Tampin
Mohd Anuar bin Mohd Tahir, Temerloh
Prabakaran, Batu
Chong Chieng Jen Stampin
Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, Kota Belud
Mohd Azis Bin Hj Jamman, Sepanggar
Rusnah Aluai, Tangga Batu
June Leow, Hulu Selangor
Nor Azrina Surip, Merbok
William Leong, Selayang
Tan Yee Kew, Wangsa Maju
Ngeh Koo Ham, Beruas
Cha Kee Chin, Rasah
Ma'mun bin Sulaiman, Kalabakan
Shamsul Iskandar, Hang Tuah
21 April 2022
MEDIA STATEMENT: YB MARIA CHIN'S SHOCKING SEVEN DAY JAIL SENTENCE We are gravely concerned with the 7 day jail sentence meted out on Member of Parliament YB Maria Chin Abdullah on Monday 25 April 2022 by the Kuala Lumpur Syariah High Court Judge Yang Arif Hakim Tuan Mohamed Fouzi bin Mokhtar. Maria was sentenced to jail for contempt of court after she issued a statement on the 5th of September 2019 that Muslim women were still being discriminated against under the syariah legal system. This statement reportedly “insulted” the Syariah judicial system. Maria’s statement was made in relation to the 7 day jail sentence ordered by the same judge against single mother Emilia Hanafi who was found guilty of contempt of court. The mother, who had custody of the children, had at the request of her children, sent a letter for a change in visitation dates to the father via her lawyer to attend a religious activity. She had promised to replace the visitation date with the week immediately after. However, the Court found Emilia in contempt and imposed the 7 day jail sentence. Maria’s statement had raised the question of the disproportionate custodial sentence inflicted on the wife for just changing a visitation date with full notice to the husband. She also raised the issue of discrimination in the syariah system against the women as in her 30 years of activism she had witnessed many cases where many divorced Muslim women struggled to find justice. While we respect the decision by the syariah court, any system of law, civil or syariah, should be open to criticisms raising what are seen as institutionalised problems. Individual judgments are also matters of public interest and can be commented on by anyone in accordance with constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of expression. Especially a person like Maria who has public duties as a member of Parliament. Her comments were not scurrilous or malicious. They were clearly done in good faith with the view that the syariah legal system and other bodies would address them. Judges are by no means immune to public criticism and accountability to those they serve in order to place confidence in the judiciary. Maria’s 7 day jail sentence also raises serious questions of procedural impropriety. The fact she was sentenced to a custodial punishment in her absence is wrong and, we are advised, contradicts existing legal provisions on sentencing. We are glad to know that a stay of execution pending her appeal is in place. We will stand by YB Maria in her exercise of her right of freedom of expression in raising matters of clear public interest albeit critical of the syariah judicial system just as we would even if the civil system was the subject matter. Signed by:
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Pandan
Mohamad Sabu, Kota Raja
Darell Leiking, Penampang
Saifuddin Nasution,
Nurul Izzah, Pematang Pauh
Syed Saddiq, Muar
Salahuddin Ayub, Pulai
Mukhriz Mahathir, Jerlun
Amiruddin Hamzah, Kubang Pasu
Anthony Loke, Seremban
Lim Guan Eng, Bagan
Sivarasa Rasiah, Sg Buloh
Lim Kit Siang, Iskandar Puteri
Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Ledang
Noor Amin Ahmad, Kangar
Wong Chen, Subang
Chan Ming Kai, Alor Setar
Natrah Ismail, Sekinjang
Hassan Abdul Karim, Pasir Gudang
Fuziah Saleh, Kuantan
Abdullah Sani, Kapar
Mazlee Malik, Simpang Renggam
S. Kesavan, Sungai Siput
Chang Lih Kang, Tanjung Malim
Bakthiar bin Wan Chik, Balik Pulau
Azman Ismail, Kuala Kedah
Sim Tze Tsin, Bayan Baru
Karuppalya Mutusamy, Padang Serai
Fahmi Fadzil, Lembah Pantai
Nik Nazmi, Setiawanga
Akmal Nasir, Johore
Charles Santiago, Klang
Wong Hon Wai, Bukit Bendera
Kasthuri Patto, Batu Kawan
Pang Hok Liong, Labis
Mohd Hatta Md Ramli, Lumut
Thomas Su, Kampar
Ong Kian Ming, Bangi
Teo Nie Ching, Kulai
Kelvin Yii, Bandar Kuching
Alice Lau, Lanang
Wong Kah Woh, Ipoh Timor
Hannah Yeoh, Segambut
Chan Foong Hin, Kota Kinabalu
Wong Ling Biu, Sarikei
Lim Lip Eng, Kepong
Wilfred Madius Tangau, Tuaran
M.Kula Segaran, Ipoh Barat
Teh Kok Lim, Taiping
Teresa Kok, Seputeh
Oscar Ling, Sibu
Tan Kok Wai, Cheras
Khalid Abdul Samad, Shah Alam.
Tony Puah, Damansara
Sin Chee Keong, Bukit Mertajam
Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Parit Buntar
Ustaz Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus, Hulu Langat
Mahfuz Haji Omar, Pokok Sena
Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, Sepang
Hasan Bahrom, Tampin
Mohd Anuar bin Mohd Tahir, Temerloh
Prabakaran, Batu
Chong Chieng Jen Stampin
Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, Kota Belud
Mohd Azis Bin Hj Jamman, Sepanggar
Rusnah Aluai, Tangga Batu
June Leow, Hulu Selangor
Nor Azrina Surip, Merbok
William Leong, Selayang
Tan Yee Kew, Wangsa Maju
Ngeh Koo Ham, Beruas
Cha Kee Chin, Rasah
Ma'mun bin Sulaiman, Kalabakan
Shamsul Iskandar, Hang Tuah
21 April 2022