ABSTRACT
In 1994 the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Sen Dr Mahathir Mohamad was widely quoted making a series of blistering attacks on the Islamist group Al Arqam, likening the group’s women (sic) to ‘sex slaves’ trapped in a form of ‘prostitution’.
‘The movement is more inclined to the satisfaction of their (leaders’) desires, especially in women and sex,’ the Prime Minister reportedly said.
‘Islam is only used as a mask. They marry and divorce at will and some of their [polygamous] marriages are very temporary… When they get bored they divorce.’
‘[The group’s leader] Ashaari himself has at least four wives.’
(Tan Kim Bock 1994:1) Dr Mahathir was also quoted as saying ‘that in every religion there were groups like the Al Arqam whose preoccupation was women and sex and how to make polygamy acceptable’ (Bernama 1994).