Islamic Family Law amendment - WTF!?

The following is from a story in The Star. Apparently Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz is going to invoke the Whip to get BN senators to vote for it. This frigging thing is so misogynistic that even PAS's female senators want to vote against. It got rushed through the Dewan Rakyat in 2 days back in September. Sisters in Islam is fighting it. Good for them.

This list of controversial points is from that Star article (I'm assuming the sub-points that were indented are The Star's editorial objections to the bill or something...):

Five controversial points in the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) (Amendment) bill

1. The right of a husband to claim a share of his existing wife's property upon his committing polygamy.

   Husbands have an equal right to a wife's property; likewise she has a claim to joint property acquired during their marriage.

2. Making polygamy easier for men

   While a husband may be able to prove that his proposed marriage is necessary, he does not have to prove it to be just.

3. Forcing a wife to choose either maintenance OR division of joint property upon a husband's polygamous marriage

   Syariah law makes it mandatory for husbands to provide maintenance for a wife throughout their marriage. Islamic law entitles her to both.



4. Enhancing a husband's rights to divorce

   This gives an additional right to divorce for the husban, which used to be the prerogative of the wife; he may escape paying any form of compensation.

5. Allowing a husband to get a court order to stop his wife from disposing of her property

   The husband has no rights over his wife's property since she is not obliged to provide maintenance for him or their children. That is is his responsibility.

Bastards. I feel sorry for my Melayu schoolfriends.