FMT - The harsh reality of life as a Muslim single motherby Mariam Mokhtar (extracts):
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Malaysiakini reported in its T'ganu single mother faces up to six strokes of the cane, extracts as follows:
Those errant husbands should be the recipients of syariah caning, not women.
The plight of Muslim single mothers is an all too common story. However, it is left largely untold because it embarrasses the family, the community and the country’s institutions.
Those who have been abandoned by their husbands struggle to feed themselves and their children. Despite court decisions that the men must pay alimony and maintenance for the children, many single mothers say they receive no money due to poor enforcement.
The problem of errant former husbands has been around for a long time. Many women are desperate to find work but must pay for childcare while they are on the job. Those with no skills at all are the hardest hit. They work two or three jobs just to bring home enough money to feed their families.
Those who have been abandoned by their husbands struggle to feed themselves and their children. Despite court decisions that the men must pay alimony and maintenance for the children, many single mothers say they receive no money due to poor enforcement.
The problem of errant former husbands has been around for a long time. Many women are desperate to find work but must pay for childcare while they are on the job. Those with no skills at all are the hardest hit. They work two or three jobs just to bring home enough money to feed their families.
I know that Chinese single mums in general embarrass the families BUT never the community and the country’s institutions. Yes, with the more conservative Chinese, a divorce is a social stigma.
That have been why many Chinese women (including Chinese men) avoid divorce even though they live unbearable married lives.
That have been why many Chinese women (including Chinese men) avoid divorce even though they live unbearable married lives.
Furthermore, men usually think salaciously of single mums and/or divorcees, believing in their perverted minds that those women would be sluttishly gatal (miang) and thus easy "preys".
Sad as it may sound, that's the lot of single mums and/or divorcees.
But the truth, sad as it is already, is even far more sad for those without money or means of income. Recently in Terengganu, a Muslim single mum was caught and charged for solicitation with the likelihood she will be caned.
A 30-year-old single mother from Kuala Terengganu today pleaded guilty to a charge of offering sexual services and faced punishment that included being caned by up to six strokes.
Online portal MStar reported that the woman was arrested in a hotel room by a team of enforcement officers from the Terengganu Religious Affairs Department, at about 10.45pm on Sept 17 while offering sexual services to an unidentified man.
The report said the woman, who has a daughter, pleaded guilty before Kuala Terengganu Syariah High Court judge Rosdi Harun. [...]
She was charged under Section 25 of the Syariah Offences Enactment (Takzir) 2001 which carries a punishment of up to three years jail, a fine of up to RM5,000, caning of up to six strokes, or a combination of the three.
During mitigation, the woman pleaded for a lesser sentence as she could not afford to pay the fine.
The accused also explained that she had not been receiving any alimony from her ex-husband.
Online portal MStar reported that the woman was arrested in a hotel room by a team of enforcement officers from the Terengganu Religious Affairs Department, at about 10.45pm on Sept 17 while offering sexual services to an unidentified man.
The report said the woman, who has a daughter, pleaded guilty before Kuala Terengganu Syariah High Court judge Rosdi Harun. [...]
She was charged under Section 25 of the Syariah Offences Enactment (Takzir) 2001 which carries a punishment of up to three years jail, a fine of up to RM5,000, caning of up to six strokes, or a combination of the three.
During mitigation, the woman pleaded for a lesser sentence as she could not afford to pay the fine.
The accused also explained that she had not been receiving any alimony from her ex-husband.
Of course she pleaded for a lesser financial sentence as she in the first place had to resort to prostitution to earn a bloody living, yet the fine if she is found guilty can possibly be up to RM5,000.
What a fCk-up state of affairs.
And her customer is an unidentified man. May I ask what punishment or fine has he been charged with?
And her husband who did not cough up the requisite alimony? I get the dirty feeling he will no doubt get away with that irresponsibility.
Mariam Mokhtar has been absolutely spot on in her article (above), that despite court decisions that the men must pay alimony and maintenance for the children, many single mothers say they receive no money due to poor enforcement.
Those errant husbands should be the recipients of syariah caning, not women.