Netizen’s Incendiary Remark On Islam Calls For Community Response Amidst Siti Kasim’s Teddy Bear Controversy

In a striking act of silent protest, lawyer Siti Kasim’s latest Facebook photo with teddy bears has sparked a viral discussion on religious freedom and individual rights.

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Lee Cent, an online user, has made a contentious statement regarding the Islamic faith, expressing the view that “Islam should not be present and should be eliminated.”

Lee Cent’s comment, made in response to a story about lawyer and human rights activist Siti Kasim hugging a teddy bear, has sparked concern among other internet users and calls for action.

Fellow netizen Atan Bani Tamin, who highlighted the matter, also criticized a local Chinese newspaper, claiming that the story of Siti Kasim and the teddy bear was published twice within an hour.

He was also surprised by the popularity of Islamic content, stating that it received thousands of likes and hundreds of negative comments, unlike other content.

At the same time, Atan tagged the well-known Malaysian Chinese convert to Islam, Firdaus Wong Wai Hung, seemingly calling for additional measures.

Siti Kasim Defies Clerical Teddy Bear Edict with Viral Photo

In a bold move that has since gone viral, Siti Kasim updated her Facebook profile picture with an image that shows her embracing two colourful teddy bears.

While Siti Kasim did not make any explicit statements accompanying her photo, the image has initiated a dialogue amongst netizens.

This act appears to be a direct response to popular religious teacher Azhar Idrus’s reminder to adult Muslims that they should not sleep with teddy bears or similar dolls as it was against Islamic teachings.

He said parents and guardians should also prevent their children from sleeping with dolls or toys like teddy bears.

Some netizens who are not Muslims have shared their opinions on the matter, leading to tension and discomfort within Malaysia’s multi-ethnic, Muslim-majority society.

Some young Chinese have reciprocated the hatred online, as evident from the online comments on UAI’s latest teddy bear comment.

It is getting worrisome. Feels like one entire generation of Malays and Chinese have never interacted & now going after each other due to ignorance https://t.co/y7EqXV3MAl
— Hong (@whon9) January 10, 2024

Siti Kasim, known for her avant-garde approach and advocacy for sexual minority rights, did not accompany the photo with an explicit statement.

Nevertheless, the picture has sparked considerable online discussion, with many netizens leaving supportive comments on her page.

Comments ranged from playful endorsements like “use Internet celebrities to defeat Internet celebrities” to expressions of outright support and amusement at the subtle challenge posed to the religious edict.