Kingdom of Brunei Darul Salam, which is an absolute monarch, decides on stiffer shariah penal laws.
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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN : The Sultan of Brunei announced the phased introduction of tough Islamic punishments including death by stoning for crimes such as adultery, in the monarchy’s latest step towards conservatism.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah — one of the world’s wealthiest men — said in a speech that a new Sharia Penal Code which has been in the works for years had been gazetted Tuesday and would “come into force six months hereafter and in phases”.
Based on the details of particular cases, punishments can include stoning to death for adulterers, severing of limbs for theft and flogging for violations ranging from abortion to consumption of alcohol, according to a copy of the code.
“By the grace of Allah, with the coming into effect of this legislation, our duty to Allah is therefore being fulfilled,” said the sultan, now 67 years old.
An all-powerful figure whose family has ruled the languid, oil-rich country of 400,000 for six centuries, the sultan first called in 1996 for the introduction of sharia criminal punishments.
Brunei already practices a conservative brand of Islam relative to its Muslim neighbours in Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The sale and public consumption of alcohol are banned and authorities closely restrict the activities of other religions.
It was not immediately clear how aggressively the new criminal code, which applies only to Muslims, would be implemented.
Brunei already has a dual-track system combining civil courts based on British law — the sultanate was a British protectorate until 1984 — and Sharia courts that are currently limited to personal and family issues such as marriage disputes.
Two years ago, a top official in the Attorney-General’s office said Brunei would apply an extremely high burden of proof for sharia criminal infractions under the code, and that judges would have wide discretion in applying the Islamic punishments.
The comments were aimed at easing fears expressed by some Bruneians of a lurch toward draconian punishments.
Nearly 70 percent of Brunei’s people are Muslim ethnic Malays, while about 15 percent are non-Muslim ethnic Chinese, followed by indigenous peoples and other groups.
Funded by oil and gas wealth mainly in offshore fields in the South China Sea, Brunei has one of Asia’s highest standards of living.
The government provides citizens with free medical care and education through the university level.
But the sultan has leaned increasingly towards Islamic orthodoxy in recent years, including the introduction of mandatory religious education for all Muslim children and ordering all businesses in the country closed for two hours during Friday prayers.–AFP
Read more: Brunei introduces tough Islamic punishments – Latest – New Straits Timeshttp://www.nst.com.my/latest/brunei-introduces-tough-islamic-punishments-1.382179#ixzz2iQgJJUyh
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This must be against a lot of fundamental and universal principles of human rights.
The question now, what are the stance and where are the human rights fighters on this ruling?
Especially to allies of Brunei and friends of His Majesty Sultan Sir Hassal Bolkiah like the United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore and those liberals and activists within these countries and not forgetting Malaysians in Malaysia.
Do they dare to be heard on the subject matter?
This is not withstanding that the fact Brunei is a kingdom of absolute autocracy without any form of democracy. All those so-called human rights fighters were very strong and bold against Myanmar. Even when they are abroad.
However, they were completely silent about Brunei not being undemocratic. And these new laws they should deem loudly as ‘draconian’. Considering these harsh laws have been pronounced without the public comprehension to its condition of implementation and protocol of execution, it is interesting to watch if ever they will say anything negative about it.
And what is more interesting if they will say anything about His Majesty Sultan of Brunei for this bold decision.
*Updated 1800hrs
The "thirteen million plus Ringgit" guy rambles.... 
This Ass..land, should not go around preaching as if he has authority over the issue. He should know the kalimah syahada as recited by Muslims is clear in stating that there is no God but Allah. Arabic word for god is il’llah and the kalimah says there is no other il’llah but Allah. So for non Muslims who believe in their own il’llah ( god) the question we should ask them if they believe in Allah, i,e the one and only il’llah? How can the holy trinity for example reconcile with one and only il’llah i,e Allah. If they insist on using kalimah Allah, why dont they embrace Prophet Muhammad as the last messenger of Allah. This Ass…land fella can argue till his face puffed up but he should be told that it is not about interpretation nor a historical fact. It is there in the kalimah syahada. If Allah is not integral in the religions of non Muslims, then they have no business to use it just because they think it is their human rights to use it. Arguing based on human made rights is not enough reason to use the kalimah Allah in religions other than Islam.
Note: My above comment has been intended for the topic ” Pronus crabnones nidum’. Sorry, wrong column.
It took many years for Brunei to draft its syariah law which includes the hudud law. Brunei is an independent and sovereign state and its decision should be respected without some rights group giving their interpretations of such implementations based on their liberal thoughts. Hudud law is meant as a deterrence from committing heinous crimes and to rein in human from denigrating themselves beneath their human faculties. Rights groups look at human as having desires and instincts that should be fulfilled without restrain because it is their rights. These groups have no sense of the difference between human faculties and the instincts of animals that are not governed by any faculties because animals have none. They only have raw instincts to kill, maim, fight, copulate, steal, etc etc. It is difficult for liberals and non Muslims to appreciate that Islamic laws are not draconian but a form of strict deterrence that structure and put in order the lives of mankind and separate them from the ways of animals.