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KK Mart Debacle: Blasphemy, Boycott and Violence
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KK Mart Debacle: Blasphemy, Boycott and Violence

Recent boycotts targeting KK Mart franchises as well as Starbucks and McDonald’s, spurred by calls to boycott businesses linked to Israel following the Israel-Palestine conflict after October 7, have led to significant spillover impact. Vigilantes have premeditated arson attacks, harming ground staff, including young working-class Malays, and causing extensive damage to these businesses’ properties. Moreover, the boycott against KK Mart has prompted threats against other establishments, such as ‘99 Speedmart‘ and Kuala Kedah Fresh Mart, dubbed ‘KK Fresh Mart.’

Extinguishing The Flames of Radicalisation
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Extinguishing The Flames of Radicalisation

Malaysia plays a crucial role as a transnational nexus for diverse networks, including those espousing extremist ideologies. Amidst ongoing crises like the Gaza conflict, apprehensions about radicalisation are prevalent. Aizat Shamsuddin, founder & director of INITIATE.MY, has joined BFM to illuminate the complex pathways of radicalisation and the persistent hurdles in rehabilitating radicals towards a more promising trajectory.

A 14-year-old Malaysian girl from Muar was arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, suspected of attempting to join ISIS in February 2015. Image © The Star
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Beyond Stereotypes: The Complex Agency of Female Jihadists

Media reports often portray women travelling to Syria and Iraq as 'jihadi brides' or as 'comfort women,' providing sexual services to boost the morale of fighters, sometimes termed 'Jihad al-Nikah' (sexual jihad). These women are seen as offering themselves for sexual comfort to Daesh fighters striving to establish Islamic rule in the Levant. The term 'jihadi brides' specifically denotes women migrating to Syria to marry jihadi fighters. These women are frequently depicted as naive, overly romantic, captivated by the glorified images of heroic fighters, and desiring to bear children to ensure the longevity of the Caliphate. Many are also portrayed as victims lured by unscrupulous men to Iraq and Syria. Within Daesh, women are often referred to as 'mujahirat' or migrants, travelling to the Caliphate to join the war effort.

The Unseen Nexus Between Human Trafficking and Terrorism
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The Unseen Nexus Between Human Trafficking and Terrorism

Human trafficking is a serious human rights violation and a complex cross-border crime with far-reaching impacts.1 Several United Nations Security Council Resolutions underscore the concern that terrorist groups profit from human trafficking, notably through four types of trafficking; sexual exploitation, forced recruitment, slavery, and kidnapping of women.

“Peluang Kedua”
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“Peluang Kedua”

Ikuti video pendek oleh INITIATE.MY bersama Encik Mohd Zulkifli Shafie, Encik Yazid Sufaat dan juga Puan Chomel Mohamed mengenai isu-isu berkaitan cabaran pengintegrasian semula bekas tahanan keselamatan di Malaysia. Video ini telah dihasilkan di bawah bimbingan Hisham Muhaimi, Penyelaras Projek di INITIATE.MY, dengan kerjasama ahli pasukan kreatif, Pera Perasath dan Nuraini Rudi. Projek ini dihasilkan dengan kerjasama Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) Indonesia.

Penyalahgunaan Bendera Al-Liwa dan Ar-Rayah Demi Kecenderungan Politik Ekstrim
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Penyalahgunaan Bendera Al-Liwa dan Ar-Rayah Demi Kecenderungan Politik Ekstrim

Kibaran al-Liwa dan ar-Rayah yang kononnya melambangkan perjuangan Islam sebenarnya merupakan propaganda politik yang licik dan manipulatif apabila (1) memaparkan bendera yang tertera kalimah syahadah sebagai suatu bentuk bendera Islam, walhal Islam tidak pernah disimbolkan oleh bendera atau panji; dan (2) memanipulasi pandangan awam untuk meraih sokongan politik kepartian melalui simbol keagamaan dengan aksi-aksi yang kononnya membangkitkan memori perjuangan zaman Nabi, walhal mesej yang sampai kepada minda masyarakat adalah sesuatu yang bersifat ekstrim.

Pengintegrasisan Semula Bekas Tahanan Keselamatan di Malaysia
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Pengintegrasisan Semula Bekas Tahanan Keselamatan di Malaysia

Ikuti video pendek oleh INITIATE.MY bersama beberapa orang pakar rujuk mengenai persoalan awal tentang program pengintegrasian semula bekas tahanan keselamatan (former security detainees (#FSDs) di Malaysia. Dengan kerjasama Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), IMAN Research dan North South Initiative.

Article 19, Komuniti Muslim Universal (KMU Malaysia) and Sisters in Islam (SIS) co-hosted a visit of Expert Delegation on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB)
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Article 19, Komuniti Muslim Universal (KMU Malaysia) and Sisters in Islam (SIS) co-hosted a visit of Expert Delegation on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB)

A three-day visit of expert delegates on FoRB was held from 19th to 21st December 2022 to share contextual developments, experiences and best practices with Malaysian civil society organisations (CSOs) on the topics of FoRB and countering hate speech. The visit was also set to discuss the implementation of the United Nations Framework (UN Resolution 16/18 and Rabat Plan of Action) as a complementary standard for protection of FoRB in Malaysia.

Fireside Chat: Radicalisation & Society by Love Frankie
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Fireside Chat: Radicalisation & Society by Love Frankie

Aizat Shamsuddin, Founder and Director of INITIATE.MY spoke at a “Fireside Chat: Radicalisation & Society” session at the Creators Forward: Regional Summit. Creators Forward is co-led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Union (EU), and TikTok, with support from programme partner Love Frankie. At the session, Aizat shared his radicalisation story and analysis as well as the ways forward to counter hate narratives and spread positive content on social media platforms like TikTok with the regional TikTok creators (from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines).

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