YOURSAY | ‘Don’t expect or demand non-Muslims to eternally dance to Islamic tunes.’

MAS stewardess wept for having to serve alcohol, says mufti

Vijay47: Mohd Asri, I have been an admirer of yours, as you were a welcome change from the usual morons here passing themselves off as Islamic scholars or pillars of moderation.

There have been times when our stands were at opposite ends, but I took that in stride since it cannot be expected that we would always be on the same page.

But of late, after your recent anti-Israeli comments and now your MAS anguish, it looks as though you have joined the dark side.

I will accept that some Muslims would want to comply with the tenets of their faith, but please do not expect or demand that we non-Muslims must eternally dance to Islamic tunes.

If your stewardess friend is disturbed by alcohol being served on MAS, she can always leave and join the Islam-compliant Rayani Air .

I may or may not enjoy a tipple 12.8km in the sky, but I sure as hell will not agree with MAS changing its service choice merely because some Muslims demand it.

How sad, Asri, that you have decreed that MAS - after all these years - is flying with the devil.

Falcon: There is something called “personal choice”. But of course, this is about something else, after all, as his paragraph six eventually alludes to.

It is a pity some people are not "tormented" seeing injustices taking place like abuse of power, high-handed corruption, the garage sale of our family jewels – or for that matter, racism, fascism and a mother losing her kids through unilateral conversions .

Whatever respect I once had for you, Asri, is forever eroded. May the Almighty help us all to see through fact, fiction and fallacy.

Abasir: So, to get back to your concern about the weeping stewardess; what do you have to say about that tormented mother who has been weeping over the last seven years, Asri?

You know, the one whose daughter was separated from her by the "Islam" you practise? What's that, you say? That's okay because she is not a Muslim?

Malaccan: With respect to the mufti and Muslims in general, that’s enough with the constant demand for special privileges and treatment for Muslims. They are not kids.

Malaysia was never meant to accord special benefits to Muslims, but to accord special status to the religion.

We have had enough people who take advantage of Islam for their personal benefit. Nothing in what they do is for Islam, but more to be enjoyed as Muslims. These are not the same.

Instead of finding her a suitable job or commiserating and encouraging her for being brave and taking care of her kids with honest work, the mufti succumbed to his lurking bias towards "privilegism".

Don't Hindus qualify for the mufti's concern as well, for the beef served or other insensitivities in government offices? Is justice a special privilege too?

No one forced the job on the good lady, nor was the dress policy unknown before she accepted the job.

I just wonder if she shed any tears over her work benefits or salary, or even the special privileges both enjoyed as Malay-Muslims in Malaysia.

Roguekiller: With due respect Mohd Asri, I thought all this while that you are a clear-minded and sensible person, able to see reason in other perspectives. You have proven me wrong, first with the Israelis’ issue and now this.

To run an airline, there are rules, regulations and policies that employees must adhere to. MAS caters for multi-nationalities, hence, all sorts of services are provided.

If the uniform states "no headscarf", it means "no". The said stewardess should be well-versed with the requirements during her interview before accepting the appointment.

On long-haul flights, it is inevitable that passengers want alcohol to be served. What's wrong in serving it? She is not being asked to drink it.

There are Muslim bartenders at restaurants and clubs serving liquors too; they don't cry. If such a job is not suitable, she could find other jobs.

Anynomous: Next time, don’t be a stewardess... just be part of the ground staff.

Patriot1: MAS is going to be embroiled in another religious issue, which is going to hasten its demise. Its new CEO, Christoph Mueller, will not be able to save MAS . It needs divine help.

It also proves a point: government-linked companies do not do well in business because decisions are often made not in the best interests of the company, but rather on a politically correct basis.

I think the new CEO can start looking for another job.

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