Celebrities boycott Brunei-owned hotels over sharia law

[webfact]

Celebrities boycott Brunei-owned hotels over sharia law

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Celebrities including Virgin group founder Richard Branson have vowed to boycott a hotel chain linked to Brunei's sultan after he introduced a controversial Islamic penal code in his country.

Brunei's all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced last Wednesday that he would push ahead with the sharia law that will eventually include tough penalties such as death by stoning.

Branson said on the weekend that Virgin employees would not stay at the Dorchester Collection luxury hotel chain, which includes The Dorchester in London and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.

"No employee, nor our family, will stay at Dorchester Hotels until the Sultan abides by basic human rights," the British billionaire posted on Twitter.

Others who have called for a boycott include comedian Stephen Fry, TV host Sharon Osbourne and comedian Ellen DeGeneres.

The US group Feminist Majority Foundation said it had also pulled its annual Global Women's Rights Awards, co-chaired by Jay and Mavis Leno, from the Beverly Hills Hotel in protest.

The Dorchester Collection is reportedly owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, a sovereign wealth fund under the oil-rich sultanate's Ministry of Finance.

Brunei government officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday. The Dorchester Collection also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The sultan's move has sparked rare domestic criticism of the fabulously wealthy ruler on the Muslim-majority country's active social media, and international condemnation including from the UN's human rights office.

But the sultan has defended the implementation of the law, meant to shore up Islam and guard the Southeast Asian country against outside influences.

"We have never thought ill of others. We have never relied on them to accept us or agree with is but it is enough if they respect us the way we respect them," he said last week when announcing the law's implementation.

The initial phase introduces fines or jail terms for offences including indecent behaviour, failure to attend Friday prayers and out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

A second phase covering crimes such as theft and robbery is to start later this year, involving more stringent penalties such as severing of limbs and flogging.

Late next year, punishments such as death by stoning for offences including sodomy and adultery will be introduced.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-05-05

[TVGerry]

Good! Sharia laws are over a thousand years old and anyone who wants to use them in the 21st century should F off. You may not be able to boycott Brunei's oil but you sure as hell can boycott their businesses.

[HeavyDrinker]

I'm hoping my old Alma Mater (SOAS) will also distance themselves from this family but seeing as it's been a Muslim hugging institution for a while now, they'll probably embrace his money even more and the human right hypocrites there will not be too concerned about that side of things.

Apologies for the rant but the hippies are all too fast to be running all over London beating their bongos and blowing their whistles every time the US does something they see as an "act of evil"

[Costas2008]

Good for Richard Branson...........always admired that man.

[terryp]

Just booked my holiday , anywhere there are no pretentious celebrity pratts mincing about is my kind of place

Edited May 5, 2014 by terryp

[coma]

It is their country. They are free to exercise whatever religion they want. However backwards it may seem to normal people. Well done to the Sultan and his subjects. Enjoy !

Coma.

[Naam]

enjoy and rant!

[chuckd]

I'm sure the Sultan will not sleep tonight worrying about the loss of revenue.

[Thai at Heart]

Good. Boycott them....

[HeavyDrinker]

I'm sure the Sultan will not sleep tonight worrying about the loss of revenue.

I think he might if international sanctions are put on his oil....

[phuketrichard]

hey;

its his country, he can do whatever he wants,

Personally feel sorry for the non moslems living there

[MobileContent]

Sharia is only used on Muslims and citizens of Brunei and does not cover the foreign workers that work in Brunei.

Do I agree? Absolute not.

Branson forgot to mention that the Royal Plaza on Scott's in Singapore and the Empire Hotel is also on the list of hotels plus a 5star resort in Bali but I forgot the name. In regards of the Beverly Hills Hotel most activists would any way not stay at that property as you need norally advance bookings of at least 3-4 weeks in advance and the prices are sky high.

[chuckd]

I'm sure the Sultan will not sleep tonight worrying about the loss of revenue.

I think he might if international sanctions are put on his oil....

Which country is talking sanctions?

[tingtongteesood]

I support the move of all these people in boycotting the sultan's business interests, Sharia is draconian and evil.

[saakura]

hey;

its his country, he can do whatever he wants,

Personally feel sorry for the non moslems living there

What about the citizens, do they support this barbaric law? Or are there lese majeste laws which prevent them from speaking their minds?

[charliebru]

Good to see somebody taking a stand against these barbaric laws.

[desi]

What about the UK bringing in Shira law? They are starting small but do you honestly believe that they won't up the ante?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10716844/Islamic-law-is-adopted-by-British-legal-chiefs.html

[unanimosity]

Good! Sharia laws are over a thousand years old and anyone who wants to use them in the 21st century should F off. You may not be able to boycott Brunei's oil but you sure as hell can boycott their businesses.

Elementary, when ASEAN should take immediate steps to ban them from the association.

[unanimosity]

hey;

its his country, he can do whatever he wants,

Personally feel sorry for the non moslems living there

What about the citizens, do they support this barbaric law? Or are there lese majeste laws which prevent them from speaking their minds?

No, there is sharia law for that.

[Naam]

Good! Sharia laws are over a thousand years old and anyone who wants to use them in the 21st century should F off. You may not be able to boycott Brunei's oil but you sure as hell can boycott their businesses.

Elementary, when ASEAN should take immediate steps to ban them from the association.

yeah right! and the ban supported by the two dominant islamic countries Malaysia and Thailand.

[Kerryd]

Sharia is only used on Muslims and citizens of Brunei and does not cover the foreign workers that work in Brunei.

"The law states that the Order shall apply to both Muslims and non-Muslims, except where expressly provided," the Brunei Times wrote. Amputations come under the second phase, and stoning, for crimes including adultery and homosexual acts, under the third phase.(http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27216798)

The implementation of Sharia law would mean that residents will face conviction by Islamic courts for their crimes. Most of the laws will apply to non-Muslims, as well. The first phase, which goes into effect on Thursday, will give offenders fines or jail time for acts ranging from pregnancy outside marriage, propagating other religions, or failure to perform Friday prayers. A second phase will go into effect after a year, punishing those who steal or consume alcohol with whipping and amputations. (http://rt.com/news/155768-brunei-implements-sharia-law/)

Most of the punishments can be applied to non-Muslims, who account for about one-third of the 440,000 people in the oil-rich country. From Thursday, Brunei citizens can be fined or jailed by Islamic courts for offences like not performing Friday prayers, pregnancy out of wedlock, propagating other religions and indecent behavior.

More severe punishments such as flogging, amputation of limbs and stoning for offences such as theft, adultery and sodomy will be introduced in phases over the next two years.(https://news.yahoo.com/brunei-embraces-strict-islamic-laws-025318995.html)

Ask non-Muslims in Saudi if Sharia applies to them as well. As non-Muslims in Pakistan. Afghanistan. Guess what the answer will be (really, you don't even have to guess).

Edited May 5, 2014 by Kerryd

[Andre0720]

It is their country. They are free to exercise whatever religion they want. However backwards it may seem to normal people. Well done to the Sultan and his subjects. Enjoy !

Coma.

Wish the Sharia law was only about religion..

But it is more about controlling people, maiming people, stoning people, cutting limbs, punishing people for just wanting to have a normal life.

Nothing to do with religion... All about exercising absolute power over people.

Ultimately getting them to kill the infidels, bombing, regardless of all the collateral damage...

And they ultimately will ge tto rule the world..

You and your descendants as well...

They will..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG1icK5j7xs

[boomerangutang]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

hey;

its his country, he can do whatever he wants,

Personally feel sorry for the non moslems living there

That's like saying of the father of a family: 'It's his family, and he can do what he wants'

Thereby justifying anything: raping his daughter, killing his wife, burning the house down, .....whatever.

I am completely opposed to views like that - for families or for countries.

One person, whether he be a father or top banana in a country, should not be given such control, and not have such control justified. Human beings are too fallible to wield such absolute power. I know very few people who can make consistently correct decisions for themselves, let along for others. I make mistakes. Do you make mistakes? Does a Sultan make mistakes? Does Thaksin make mistakes? However it's viewed, Sharia Law is a collection of giant mistakes. It is a cruel set of rules.

[unanimosity]

Sharia is only used on Muslims and citizens of Brunei and does not cover the foreign workers that work in Brunei.

Do I agree? Absolute not.

Branson forgot to mention that the Royal Plaza on Scott's in Singapore and the Empire Hotel is also on the list of hotels plus a 5star resort in Bali but I forgot the name. In regards of the Beverly Hills Hotel most activists would any way not stay at that property as you need norally advance bookings of at least 3-4 weeks in advance and the prices are sky high.

They don't stay in rooms, but in the luxury suites and bungalows, and busy people do make reservations in advance. But, room revenues are almost incidental to the functions and dining outlets at that property, especially their famed Polo Lounge.

[unanimosity]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

hey;

its his country, he can do whatever he wants,

Personally feel sorry for the non moslems living there

That's like saying of the father of a family: 'It's his family, and he can do what he wants'

Thereby justifying anything: raping his daughter, killing his wife, burning the house down, .....whatever.

I am completely opposed to views like that - for families or for countries.

One person, whether he be a father or top banana in a country, should not be given such control, and not have such control justified. Human beings are too fallible to wield such absolute power. I know very few people who can make consistently correct decisions for themselves, let along for others. I make mistakes. Do you make mistakes? Does a Sultan make mistakes? Does Thaksin make mistakes? However it's viewed, Sharia Law is a collection of giant mistakes. It is a cruel set of rules.

Did you omit the current U.S. president from your list by accident or are you afraid of making the news as a balcony diver or Benghazi defender?

Edited May 5, 2014 by unanimosity

[lostintime]

If there really is a god and one who loves us, he would see all the suffering caused in his name, and send down a new messiah to ban the practise of religion. Now wouldn't that be nice?

[saakura]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

hey;

its his country, he can do whatever he wants,

Personally feel sorry for the non moslems living there

That's like saying of the father of a family: 'It's his family, and he can do what he wants'

Thereby justifying anything: raping his daughter, killing his wife, burning the house down, .....whatever.

I am completely opposed to views like that - for families or for countries.

One person, whether he be a father or top banana in a country, should not be given such control, and not have such control justified. Human beings are too fallible to wield such absolute power. I know very few people who can make consistently correct decisions for themselves, let along for others. I make mistakes. Do you make mistakes? Does a Sultan make mistakes? Does Thaksin make mistakes? However it's viewed, Sharia Law is a collection of giant mistakes. It is a cruel set of rules.

Did you omit the current U.S. president from your list by accident or are you afraid of making the news as a balcony diver or Benghazi defender?

Why limit it to the 'current' U.S. president?

[boomerangutang]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

If there really is a god and one who loves us, he would see all the suffering caused in his name, and send down a new messiah to ban the practise of religion. Now wouldn't that be nice?

Watch out, now. You're going to offend the God of the Muslims. And the protectors of his ego will come after you with sabers and whack your fingers and toes off one by one, until you repeat with conviction: "Allah is a kind and merciful God" twenty times without laughing hysterically.

Edited May 5, 2014 by boomerangutang

[Chicog]

He's only doing this to stop his family robbing him blind, I can't see what all the fuss is about.

They've been nicking off him for years.

[peterb17]

It is their country. They are free to exercise whatever religion they want. However backwards it may seem to normal people. Well done to the Sultan and his subjects. Enjoy !

Coma.

Wish the Sharia law was only about religion..

But it is more about controlling people, maiming people, stoning people, cutting limbs, punishing people for just wanting to have a normal life.

Nothing to do with religion... All about exercising absolute power over people.

Ultimately getting them to kill the infidels, bombing, regardless of all the collateral damage...

And they ultimately will ge tto rule the world..

You and your descendants as well...

They will..

You may be correct- what I find unsetting is the fact that if you are born a Muslim- there is no choice- NONE- no deciding later in life to embrace another religion or realise that maybe the flying spaghetti monster is a better bet- the response under sharia is death.

The antics of Boko Haram kidnapping the girls in Nigeria- because they dared to go to school- is just appalling. This is what Sharia is all about- control- just the same as the medieval church.

Can't say my boycott of the Dorchester will make much difference- been there for tea- and was so stunningly expensive - wont go back- but was nice having a glass of Champagne with the scones.