“Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2002 23:28:37 +0800
From: "Patricia A. Martinez" <[email protected]>
Subject: [BUNGARAYA] I did not write "Why Malaysia is already a Christian State"Dear list-moderators,
I would be most grateful if you could publicize this as widely as possible.
Thank you
Dr. Patricia Martinez
--------------------------------------------------------------On a number of e-mail discussion lists such as bungaraya, alternatives 2004, sangkancil and beritamalaysia, an inflammatory article has appeared that is purportedly written by me, Patricia Martinez, and sent to Father O.C.Lim of the Catholic Research Center (CRC).
The article was sent by an address that I have never established and which fact can be verified: [email protected]. Neither have I ever subscribed to bungaraya, alternatives 2004, beritamalaysia or sangkancil, (but I am on the SK list, which is an information dissemination list that MGG pillai offers for those who do not have the time or inclination to participate in the general discussion list, Sang Kancil.)
I am deeply dismayed and disgusted at what this article "Why Malaysia is already a Christian State" attempts to do:
1. neutralize my voice and tarnish me because I am the only non-Muslim Malaysian with a Ph.D. in Islam
2. cause disruption and diminish an important forum organized by the CRC which is scheduled for this friday, 4 january. It is the first time that PAS, the DAP and a representative of IKIM will be on the same platform, discussing Islam in Malaysia. I am only moderating the panel and was honoured by the invitation to do so, as all three gentlemen - Dato Dr. Ismail Haji Ibrahim of IKIM, Dato Dr. Hassan Ali of PAS and Mr. Lim Kit Siang of the DAP - are distinguished in their own right.
I am lodging a police report about this article and the mischief-makers who
posted it, and hope the culprits are brought to justice. As those who know me will verify, I do not even speak in private in any terms let alone the bigotry that is in that article. I chose to study Islam because I saw myself as a bridge-builder between the ignorance and bigotry that exist among both non-Muslims and Muslims, and as an example of those on both sides who are open, respectful and committed to living peacefully with each other.At a recent public event on 8 December 2001, the Bar Council and Sisters-in-Islam panel on Islam which was organized for Human Rights Day, I began my presentation by describing how uncomfortable I was when speaking for non-Muslims and if there had to be critique, telling the audience that my position is always informed by the deep respect and affection I have for Islam, the religion I chose to study.
It is a reflection of the serious schisms that rend our beloved Malaysia, that I am made a victim of the dirty tricks of those who see profit by continuing to divide us as Malaysians, by inflaming anger, suspicion and mistrust. Or who cannot bear the idea of Malaysians ending our divisiveness by our learning about each other and then talking to each other.
Dr. Patricia A. Martinez”
The Bungaraya list was one of the mailing lists which received the
inflammatory and venomous article “Why Malaysia Is Already A Christian
State” purportedly by Patricia Martinez from a TimeNet node in four-part
postings at 8.46 p.m., 8.51 p.m., 8.57 p.m. and 9.07 p.m.
There should be similar records of the timestamps of the postings of this inflammatory article to the other mailing lists, which should be enough for the police to crosscheck TimeNet call data records to trace the source of the postings.
Dr. Patricia Martinez is Malaysia’s only non-Muslim with a Ph.D. in Islam earning her doctorate in Islamic Studies from Temple University and as she had said in her denial, sees her role as an inter-religious and inter-civilisational bridge-builder and not destroyer in multi-religious and multi-civilisation Malaysia.
I call on the police to act promptly on the police report of Malaysia’s only non-Muslim with a Ph.D. in Islam and to take the strongest action to investigate, identify and prosecute the cyber-criminal who tried to foment inter-religious strife in Malaysia and jihad against Islam scholar Dr. Patricia Martinez by fraudulently forging and posting an inflammatory anti-Islam tract in her name on various Internet mailing lists.
I have spoken to the Bungaraya mailing list manager, Dinesh Nair, and he has pledged full co-operation to police investigations into the cyber crime of fraudulently forging Patricia's identity to foment inter-religious strife and a jihad against Patricia.
It is clear that the cybercriminal had acted with malice, foreknowledge and preplanning, as fraudulently subscribing to the various mailing lists in Patricia’s name so that the inflammatory article could be posted in her name.
In the case of Bungaraya, the cybercriminal subscribed at 1600 hours on December 29 although earlier attempts on December 27 failed as the forger had made typos.
In another mailing list, the cybercriminal fraudulently subscribed in Patricia’s name 20 hours earlier before the posting of the inflammatory anti-Islam article.
(3/1/2002)