Human rights activist Siti Kasim has strongly criticized the Perak religious authorities for interfering in the cultural practices of the Orang Asli community. In a recent outcry, she condemned the decision to restrict Malay participation in traditional Orang Asli events, particularly the "joget lambak," a mass dance often featured in weddings and cultural festivals within the indigenous community.
A circular issued by the Tapah Islamic Administration Office on October 5 cited reasons for the ban, claiming that the event involved practices considered inappropriate by Islamic standards, such as ritual idol worship, alcohol consumption, and physical contact between unmarried couples. The authorities justified the ruling based on these religious concerns, further asserting their control over the involvement of Malay participants in Orang Asli traditions.
In response, Siti Kasim, a vocal advocate for the Orang Asli, expressed her frustration, accusing the religious authorities of overreaching their jurisdiction and imposing unnecessary restrictions. “This is becoming intolerable. Religious authorities are not only trying to control the lives of Malays but now they are also infringing on the freedoms of the Orang Asli,” she stated in a fiery Facebook video.
She pointed out that the focus of religious authorities should be redirected to more urgent issues within their own community. Siti Kasim criticized the fact that Malay Muslim women already face restrictions on participating in beauty pageants and certain sports, and warned her fellow Malays that they are being treated as “mindless dolls” by these authorities, who believe they have the right to dictate their choices and actions.
Rather than fixating on cultural practices like dancing, Siti Kasim argued that the religious bodies should address more pressing matters, such as allegations of abuse in religious schools. She specifically mentioned the disturbing reports of sexual misconduct, including sodomy and rape, in madrasahs and tahfiz schools, where religious teachers, or ustaz, have allegedly victimized students. Siti urged the authorities to focus on such critical issues instead of policing people’s personal and cultural freedoms.
Siti further questioned why the authorities have not taken stronger action against problematic groups, such as the remnants of the banned Al-Arqam sect, known today as Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB). Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Shah had previously called for efforts to curb the activities of this deviant group, which, according to the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk), has strayed from the true teachings of Islam. However, Siti noted that rather than addressing such genuine concerns, religious bodies seem preoccupied with trivial matters like controlling the social activities of communities.
In her passionate plea, Siti urged the religious authorities to respect the rights and freedoms of both the Orang Asli and Malays. She emphasized that the Orang Asli have their own moral values and cultural practices, which are often misunderstood or disrespected by outsiders. “Do not think that just because they are not Muslims, they do not lead a moral life,” she remarked, defending the indigenous community’s way of life as being in many ways more dignified than those of their critics.
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