How Malaysia’s dogs became political animals
The nation adheres to a school of Islamic jurisprudence that forbids contact with canines, but experts say it’s identity politics, not religion, that makes frolicking with the ‘unclean’ animals such a taboo
Her crime? Playing with her rescue dog, Bubu, and posting a video of it online.
Nurhanizah Abdul Rahman, who wears a headscarf and is part of the nation’s majority Malay-Muslim community, rescued her dog from a mass culling exercise two years ago. In July, she joined a Facebook contest by a pet food brand which required her to record and upload a video about her relationship with her dog.
The post attracted negative attention from other Malaysian Facebook users, leading the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to issue a strongly worded statement posted on the director-general’s Facebook page.
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Othman Mustapha, the director-general of Jakim, said touching dogs on purpose and without reason was forbidden by Islam and that Nurhanizah had caused distress among the Muslim community.