Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, allah, altruism, balance, fat bidin, islam, jakim, journalism, kuala lumpur, malay, malaysia, moderation, muhammad. prophet, muslim, salaam, salam, The Malaysian Insider, wasatiyyah, zan azlee
Zan flirting in Tehran, Iran.
Being a Muslim in Malaysia
By Zan Azlee
MARCH 9 - I’m sick and tired of people saying that the greeting ‘assalamualaikum’ and ‘waalaikumsalam’ are exclusively for Muslims and haram for anyone else. Apparently, if a non-Muslim greets you that way, you will be damned to hell if you were to reply. And god forbid, if you were to initiate the greeting! To those who aren’t familiar, ‘assalamualaikum’ means ‘peace be upon you’, and ‘waalaikumsalam’ means ‘and upon you be peace’.
I really wonder where is it said in Islam that the ‘salam’ is exclusively for Muslims? I would be really grateful if someone could point this out for me. Please save me from my ignorance because as far as my religious knowledge goes, I have only found evidence that proves that it isn’t a sin.
Over the years, I have traveled extensively throughout the Muslim world (especially the Middle-East) and people in all of these places greet each other, whether Muslim or not, with these greetings. And in all of these countries, this has never been an issue at all. And hence I find it very problematic that it is a big issue in my own country Malaysia. [Click to read the rest of the article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, writing | Tags: 1malaysia, allah, book, fat bidin, haram, hard truths, islam, jakim, journalism, lee kuan yew, malay, malaysia, muhammad, muslim, obedient wives club, quran, read, singapore, The Malaysian Insider, zan azlee
I can’t eat pork or drink alcohol. Now I can’t read a book either? Oh yeah… no touching bananas or cucumbers too!
A haram book? What next?
By Zan Azlee
DEC 9 — Do not eat the book. Do not drink the book. Do not touch the book. Do not use any kitchen utensils that have been used with the book. Because it is haram.
The book that I am referring to is “Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going”, which has been declared haram by our Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).
I find the decision utterly ridiculous. Apparently, Lee mentions that Muslims in Singapore are “socially distinct and separate” and should “be less strict on Islamic observances” to aid integration and the city-state’s nation-building process.
In my opinion, I see the act by Jakim as an act that clearly defies the teachings of the Quran as it obstructs the quest for knowledge. [Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, vj movement, writing | Tags: bias, documentary, editorializing, fat bidin, film, gay, homosexuality, islam, jakim, journalism, kuala lumpur, lesbian, los angeles, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, objectivity, pick and choose journalism, radio, solo journalism, The Malaysian Insider, this way out, video journalism, vj movement, web video, zan azlee
Pick and choose journalism. That’s what I wrote about today in my column at The Malaysian Insider.
Pick and choose journalism
By Zan Azlee
MAY 20 — Last week, a Los Angeles-based radio show picked up a video news package I did for the Dutch news agency VJ Movement. The story was about being gay and Muslim in Malaysia and it was apt that This Way Out ran the story since they serve the gay community. I was obviously excited since it meant that I am now a celebrity in LA and can expect to be signing autographs in Hollywood soon. But the excitement fizzled when I actually listened to the show. My entire story was intact except for the interview with JAKIM director-general, Datuk Wan Mohamed.
I had interviewed different people with liberal and conservative view points and Datuk Wan Mohamed, of course, was of the latter. His voice may have been more conservative than the rest, but it was equally as important since I wanted to show both sides of the story for better context. This Way Out’s producers must have taken it out because it didn’t support their agenda and this brings me to my issue of the day – pick and choose journalism. (Click to read the full article at The Malaysian Insider)
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, vj movement | Tags: bias, documentary, editorializing, fat bidin, film, gay, homosexuality, islam, jakim, journalism, kuala lumpur, lesbian, los angeles, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, objectivity, radio, solo journalism, this way out, video journalism, vj movement, web video, zan azlee
Recently, a gay-oriented radio programme out of Los Angeles, California, called This Way Out, picked up on my video news package ‘Being Gay and Muslim in Malaysia‘, which I did for the news agency VJ Movement. Since it was a radio show, they only took the audio from my story. Of course I was delighted that I was now a celebrity in LA!
However, When I listened to the show (click here to listen to the radio show), I noticed that they had edited out the interview with JAKIM Director-General, Datuk Wan Mohamed. His voice may have been more conservative than the rest of my interviewees, but it was equally as important since I wanted to show both sides of the story and his interview definitely contextualised things better (Click here or on the image below to view my video in it’s entirety).
So I wrote an e-mail to the producers. I received a prompt reply from her, “… I actually did try recording the subtitles to mix into the piece. Unfortunately, especially since I was working alone with no male voice to use, I just couldn’t get it to sound right … it was just more confusing. I was also facing the problem that I needed to shrink the piece a bit to make it fit into our program. The time constraints made the parts with my sadly ineffective attempt to add the translation the most likely (although ultimately not the only) things to be cut — despite the fact that I realized that the government point of view provided important context. You’ve probably faced similar situations, when you have to reluctantly lose material that’s important to a story. I appreciate your understanding…”
It could have been due to constraints or it could have just been plain editorialising.
Click to view my original video in it's entirety.
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, film, internet, journalism, new media, The Malaysian Insider, video blog, vj movement, writing | Tags: documentary, fat bidin, film, gay, homosexuality, islam, jakim, journalism, kuala lumpur, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, solo journalism, The Malaysian Insider, video journalism, vj movement, web video, zan azlee
Here’s my blog entry at Fatbidin.com about my article at The Malaysian Insider about my video on VJ Movement!! Cross-promotion!! Hahaha!!
How to be gay and Muslim at the same time
By Zan Azlee
APRIL 15 — Recently, I was commissioned to produce a video news package for VJ Movement, a Dutch-based news agency focusing on solo-journalism. It was about a matter that had intrigued me for some time now and this was the opportunity for me to explore it — homosexuality in Islam.
And so, I decided that I would interview a slew of people to get as many different opinions on the matter. I met a Malay Muslim gay man who was willing to speak to me about this issue. However, he requested anonymity, fearing backlash. [Click to read the rest of the article at The Malaysian Insider]
Filed under: broadcast, directing, documentary, film, internet, journalism, new media, video blog, vj movement | Tags: documentary, fat bidin, film, gay, homosexuality, islam, jakim, journalism, kuala lumpur, malay, malaysia, media, muslim, new media, news, solo journalism, video journalism, vj movement, web video, zan azlee
Recently, I did a video package for VJ Movement, a Dutch-based news agency of which I am a videojournalist for, about being gay and Muslim in Malaysia. I spoke to several people to get their opinions, namely, Datuk Haji Wan Mohamed (the Director General of JAKIM), Pang Khee Teik (sexual rights activist and Arts Programme Director of The Annexe Gallery), Nizam Bashir (syariah lawyer) and ‘Ahmad’.
Click on the image to view the video.
Go spread the word (or embed the video!). Thanks to everyone who voted for my pitch to be produced and also to Pang Khee Teik and the other individuals who were willing to speak to me for this story.
