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Sultan of Brunei



crodonilson

He/Him
Jan 17, 2005
13,488
Lyme Regis
He's only gone and cancelled Christmas.

:nono:


Brunei has banned public celebrations of Christmas, warning that putting up festive decorations or singing carols could threaten the country's Muslim faith. Any Muslims who do not observe this ban face flogging and up to 5 years in jail.


The conservative Islamic country on the island of Borneo allows non-Muslims to celebrate Christmas, but only within their communities, and they must first alert the authorities with at least 3 months notice and pay a fee equivalent to 5% of their monthly income.


At least 65 per cent of the 420,000-strong population of the oil-rich state are Muslims.


The Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement: "These enforcement measures are ... intended to control the act of celebrating Christmas excessively and openly, which could damage the aqidah (beliefs) of the Muslim community. "


In a warning to Muslims earlier this month, a group of Imams warned that any celebration "not in any way related to Islam” could lead to "‘tasyabbuh’ (imitation) and unknowingly damage the ‘aqidah’ (faith) of Muslims".


Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah holds the arm of his son Prince Abdul Malik to bless Malik's new wife Photo: Olivia Harris/Reuters

“During Christmas celebrations, Muslims following that religion’s acts – such as using their religious symbols like cross, lighting candles, making Christmas trees and singing religious songs, sending Christmas greetings, using signs praising the religion, putting up decorations or creating sounds and doing anything that amounts to respecting their religion – are against Islamic faith,” the Imams said, according to the Borneo Bulletin.

“Some may think that it is a frivolous matter and should not be brought up as an issue. But as Muslims and as a Zikir Nation, we must keep it (following other religions’ celebrations) away as it could affect our Islamic faith.”

Some Brunei residents rejected the ban, by posting Christmas pictures on social media using the #MyTreedom hashtag.




Brunei, a former British protectorate, is run as an absolutist Muslim monarchy by the Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, 67.

Political discontent is limited thanks to a high standard of living and free education and health care, although members of the royal family have been criticised for their extravagant lifestyles.

Michael Jackson, the late pop singer, was reportedly paid more than £10 million to give a concert in Brunei in 1996 to mark the sultan’s 50th birthday.

(L-R) Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, his son Prince Abdul Malik, new wife Dayangku Raabi'atul 'Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah and Queen Saleha during the wedding ceremony in the Nurul Iman Royal Palace in Banda Seri Begawan, Brunei Photo: EPA

Last year, the sultan caused controversy by introducing Sharia criminal law, which allows for punishments including stoning, whipping and amputation.

This policy triggered a boycott of the hotel chain owned by the Sultan of Brunei’s sovereign wealth investment agency by a group of celebrities, fashion designers and other famous names.

Backed by the likes of Stephen Fry, Stella McCartney and Sir Richard Branson, the rich, famous and chic were urged not to book into any of the Dorchester Collection venues, including the Dorchester in London, Le Meurice in Paris, the Beverly Hills Hotel in LA and Il Principe in Milan
 


knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,948
For a man who has sh*gged more girls than Bobby Zamora has scored goals Sharia Law being tightened is a move suggesting he is under political pressure at home.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,371
West west west Sussex
A cracking move by the big guy, well done. :bowdown:

#VoteSultan
#TeamGrinch.
 


Biscuit

Native Creative
Jul 8, 2003
22,205
Brighton
They can't have much faith in Islam if they're worried Christians celebrating Christmas might convert them! How shaky are their beliefs that they can't tolerate other religious festivals and need to implement harsh sharia punishments to those that don't follow the rules?
 






sydney

tinky ****in winky
Jul 11, 2003
17,736
town full of eejits
Ah, Islam ......... the religion of peace and tolerance!

that's the one...:thumbsup: but more interestingly you can have christmas if you cough up some serious wedge.....on a recent trip to batam in indonesia i saw things going on that would make the dam look like a christian womens guild tea party....all withiun spitting distance of the biggest mosque on the island......when asking the local bar owners how the feck they got away with it they all said it all came down to bribery of the imam and the cops to look the other way.......????????????....great stuff ....:thumbsup:
 


Mr Putdown

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2004
2,899
Christchurch
that's the one...:thumbsup: but more interestingly you can have christmas if you cough up some serious wedge.....on a recent trip to batam in indonesia i saw things going on that would make the dam look like a christian womens guild tea party....all withiun spitting distance of the biggest mosque on the island......when asking the local bar owners how the feck they got away with it they all said it all came down to bribery of the imam and the cops to look the other way.......????????????....great stuff ....:thumbsup:

The NED by any chance?
 










SAC

Well-known member
May 21, 2014
2,534
that's the one...:thumbsup: but more interestingly you can have christmas if you cough up some serious wedge.....on a recent trip to batam in indonesia i saw things going on that would make the dam look like a christian womens guild tea party....all withiun spitting distance of the biggest mosque on the island......when asking the local bar owners how the feck they got away with it they all said it all came down to bribery of the imam and the cops to look the other way.......????????????....great stuff ....:thumbsup:

Religion and corruption hand in hand. Who would have thought it?
 




topbanana36

Well-known member
Dec 29, 2007
1,753
New Zealand
Brunei has nothing to do with Islam. Or any Islamic country which implements sharia law and adheres to the Quran. After all Islam is so peaceful and doesn't mean absolute submission.
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,555
On the Border
The conservative Islamic country on the island of Borneo allows non-Muslims to celebrate Christmas, but only within their communities, and they must first alert the authorities with at least 3 months notice and pay a fee equivalent to 5% of their monthly income.

George Osborne has noted this down and is likely to introduce in the next budget, to further control the UK's deficit.
 








kjgood

Well-known member
To be honest this is old news. I lived in Brunei from 1994 - 1996 and Prince Jeffery the Sultans brother did exactly the same when the Sultan was out of the country. There was a religious police force going around closing down anything that looked like Christmas, but it wasn't too much hassle for the ex pats and british forces stationed there.
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,473
Gloucester
To be honest this is old news. I lived in Brunei from 1994 - 1996 and Prince Jeffery the Sultans brother did exactly the same when the Sultan was out of the country. There was a religious police force going around closing down anything that looked like Christmas, but it wasn't too much hassle for the ex pats and british forces stationed there.
The fact that it's been going on for twenty years just makes it worse, then. The Sultan of Brunei is a c>nt, pure and simple; certainly no sort of holy man.
 











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