Already bright, still want torchlight some more

I have been away since last Friday because of the long weekend. I wish I could've blogged about this earlier. In any case, here goes.

A former colleague of mine, Puan Siti Fatimah Abdul Rahman - whom I call Kak Siti - commented in her article in Utusan Malaysia on 12 May: "Suami wajib mencari nafkah keluarga." I've read the article and I think it was a good one, covering all angles possible within the limited space alloted by the newspaper.

Suddenly, the next day, the newspaper carried a front-page main headline report, "Langgar syarak - Mufti -- Suami mengurus rumah, isteri keluar mencari nafkah." Somewhere inside the newspaper on that same day, we have an article quoting YB Dato' Seri Shahrizat Jalil: "Lelaki jadi suri rumah mula diterima."

In today's paper, it was reported that the DPM wanted the matter be referred to the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan: "Rujuk Majlis Fatwa -- Isu suami jadi suri rumah, isteri keluar cari rezeki."

Personally, I don't know why this matter was made such a big issue by the paper. Probably they've run out of issues, I don't know. I agree 110% with what Kak Siti wrote, not because I know her personally, but what she wrote was based on facts. For, if the media is to carry on "debating" this issue and making this a polemic, then I could safely make the assumption that some people just want to keep questioning what is already clearly stated in the Quran.

Sometimes I just don't understand why there is a need for us to question what is already clear and lucid. Only when there is ambiguity or uncertainty due to new developments in society would we need to discuss and deliberate on these matters. If something is already established, then don't waste time talking about it. Remember the Malay adage? "Sudah terang lagi bersuluh" [hence, the Manglish topic of this blog]. We have so many other things to work on other than debating on already-established matters.

What Kak Siti did was right. She wrote on an issue that was skewed by so-called modernists and feminists. She corrected the misperception that was clouding the facts. Unfortunately, some people just want to keep denying these facts.

Oh, well. Kak Siti... I know you visit this blog when you have the time. Good job on your article, and keep up the good work. And also congratulations on the attention your article garnered. Front page no less! And commented on by a Mufti, a minister and the DPM to boot!

I wonder if Monday's paper will still carry this debate?