Malaysia

Definition of Satay
definition

Definition: Satay

They may sound similar, but don't confuse satay with sauté.
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They may sound similar, but don't confuse satay with sauté.

Satay is a Southeast Asian dish of meat that's been marinated and seasoned (often with turmeric), skewered, grilled over a fire, and served with a sauce for dipping. The delicacy is extremely popular in Indonesia, as well as neighboring countries Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, where it's served everywhere from street carts to high-end restaurants. Variations may contain every type of meat from chicken and beef to turtle and mutton, as well as offal.

Satay can also come with a wide range of accompanying dipping sauces, including peanut gravy, soy-based condiments, pineapple sauce, and cucumber relish. Have you ever made satay?

Source: Flickr User avlxyz

Beyonce Too Sexy For Malaysia
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Beyonce Too Sexy For Malaysia

Beyonce won't be showing off her, um, leotards anytime soon in Malaysia.
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Beyonce won't be showing off her, um, leotards anytime soon in Malaysia. The singer has canceled her upcoming show in the predominately Muslim country because it has upset conservative Muslims who think her show is immoral.

Although Beyonce is not subject to the country's Sharia courts and cannot be tried for moral offenses, her sexy dances and costumes would nevertheless cause some outrage. The country's Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party called for the cancellation because it would promote "Western sexy performances." Well they're right about that — Beyonce definitely puts on a sexy show.

Considering a 32-year-old Malaysian model was recently sentenced to be caned for drinking a beer in a hotel nightclub, I'm not so surprised some people there aren't ready for Beyonce's jelly.


Malaysian Woman Sentenced to Caning For Drinking a Beer
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Malaysian Woman Sentenced to Caning For Drinking a Beer

Not every woman around the world can enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like sipping a cold beer on vacation, without fear of physical punishment.
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Not every woman around the world can enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like sipping a cold beer on vacation, without fear of physical punishment. Recently, 32-year-old Malaysian model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was sentenced to be caned for drinking a beer in a hotel nightclub.

After being taken into custody and transported to a prison for her punishment today, Kartika was prepared to endure the caning. Unexpectedly the Islamic Sharia court granted her a reprieve until the holy month of Ramadan is over, throwing her case into confusion. Still, officials maintain that the delayed sentence stands.

So why was she sentenced to such a punishment in the first place? Malaysia operates under two legal systems, which includes Sharia courts that can try Muslims for moral or religious offenses. Although prosecution is rare, Muslims like Kartika can be jailed for up to three years or given six strokes of a cane for drinking alcohol.

While she was spared the caning this week, Kartika is not happy about being in legal limbo and her father says: "My daughter wants the sentence to be done. I'm afraid that people will make fun of the religion."

Islam's New Forbidden Isms — Tomboyism and Lesbianism
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Islam's New Forbidden Isms — Tomboyism and Lesbianism

At a meeting to discuss social threats to Muslims in Malaysia, a fatwa — scholarly opinion on Islamic law — was issued that forbids women to act like men.
by LibertySugar

At a meeting to discuss social threats to Muslims in Malaysia, a fatwa — scholarly opinion on Islamic law — was issued that forbids women to act like men. According to the ruling, women should not cut their hair short nor walk, talk, or otherwise act like men.

The fatwa, however, is not legally binding so it's not illegal to act masculine, just immoral. The chairman of the National Fatwa Council said these women were denying their femininity and violating human nature. To explain the ruling, he said:

It is unacceptable to see women who love the male lifestyle including dressing in the clothes men wear. . . It becomes clearer when they start to have sex with someone of the same gender.

While lesbian sex is not illegal either, sodomy is an offense that is punctuated with a 20-year sentence. But in a country like Malaysia, where Islam is the official religion, a fatwa can hold as much power as the law, and many lawyers believe this is a push to put lesbianism on the other side of it.

Considering masculinity and femininity is a spectrum — defined by culture — I do wonder how far this can go.

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