LPGA Sime Darby Golf Tourney Moves Forward As Govt Curtails Anti Caning-Women Press

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Beyond the Veil| The LPGA golf association has moved forward with its decision to launch a women’s golf tournament, the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia, at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club on Oct. 22-24.

We don’t support the image of women golfers hitting long drives in a country that has just now instituted a policy of caning women.

Al Jazeera followed up on the caning incident, confirming that this op ed piece, written after the incident has been pulled from the website, after receiving a threatening letter from the government. The Malaysia Star has issued an apology for writing:

We don’t want public flogging, we don’t want arms chopped off, we don’t want people to be stoned to death, and we don’t want people to be burned at the stake.

Since editor of the Malaysia Star Gunasegaram is not a Muslim, The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) has decreed that he is not allowed to express these opinions, even if they do address matters of internal politics germain to his personal rights as a citizen of Malaysia.

Mais secretary Mohamed Khusrin Munawi said:

those who were not well-versed with the shariah criminal law, had no rights and not qualified to question a law governing Muslims.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera puts itself at risk, publishing the original, offensive letter while Western women golfers —  led by American women — schedules a tourney in a country that not only canes women but prevents the press from objecting to the incident. 

We do not believe that this is a positive image for American women golfers. Anne

3 Women Caned in Malaysia As LPGA Schedules Ladies Golf Tournament