Q. Half-Malay eats pork and he's proud to be a catholic.

Salaam trefoil,

This is, well unfortunately but not surprisingly, a typical article in magazines. I do not think any fashion or lifestyle magazines are keen to feature modern feminists women converting to Islam and observing their hijab in public haha...In a "secular" society, we unfortunately have to get used to it, though it's always not to our advantage. Be patient (sabr) and strive towards building a good society, diverse background but yet united to one single faith to One God.

[Review of the article]

A few note about the article, here are some points in the article which Muslim readers can observed...

Points 1:[Quotation] "...liberal and atypical Malay household..". Typically he is emphasizing that he is a "different" Malay. Notice how they avoided the definition of typical Malay.

Point 2:[Quotation]"Father worked briefly in Europe..was open to race and religion.." Notice how this was against emphasized ? Islam and West? Islam and Europe?

Point 2: [Quotation] "..Studied in Mission School and took Chinese as a second language.." . Comment:Simply a.k.a like "Don't compare Kyle with madrasa Muslims and 'typical Malays' and I am different and probably significant!"

Point 3: Joanna emphasized and repeatedly says that she's "not converting" to her friends, which the article also added that if she do "her husband going to have four wives"[smirk] Strangely, that Malay guy, Kyle, defended with "Singapore needs to change... " and added being Malay means not simply Muslim. Smells fishy on the article? Why can't it be the other way around for other races and religion?

Point 4: Notice how Joanne is portrayed to show more compassion, understanding, cultural sensitive [e.g. the wedding banquet, no pork] but Kyle was shown to be more compromising and forbearing[ e.g. my son is OK to eat pork, more "open minded"...] .

Point 5: By reading between lines, Catholics seem to indirectly shown "more apt to integrate difference of culture and faith" than Islam [e.g. Joanna commented her hubby is more "catholic", even though he is from a Muslim Malay background, a typical social rejection of Malay-ness and Muslim ethics].

[Conclusion]
This is not intended to anger public or Catholics. I had quite a few Catholic classmates who are respectful and more "Muslim" than many Muslims around. Such article is common, especially in the West, as Islam is viewed traditionalist, hence Malay are naturally associated with such stereotypes. As Malay and Muslim I am used to it, but not necessary happy and comfortable with it as a Malay.

salam all,

They want to eat pork, go ahead and eat loh.

Let them be. Why we must criticise them? its their "culture" let it be their "culture". Its not even islam, they arent even muslims.

This MURTAD issues has and will always be a hot issue because it is definitely not what islam is preaching..
We shouldn't react too bold and yet be too complacent with this matter.
As a muslim, certainly criticism is not the solution.Supplicate for them and for ourselves, hoping they get to see the 'light' and self-introspect is what we should do..because nothing is for sure in this life..

Salam,
I find the article very interesting and will try to be objective as much as possible because my initial emotional reaction will be to rebel against the idea (but of course, that is my personal feelings for my own life as a muslim)

My review :
As a Muslim, I believe in being able to embrace the diverse race and cultures that the world provides and accept them as they are (as long as it doesn't compromise your own.) Our prophet Muhammad s.a.w. taught us that - they didn't know and didn't understand was what was said.
As a fellow Muslim sister, of course I feel sad, but that is natural since there is a tendency to see our Malay community as a big representative for our Muslim community. As a Muslim, I feel the issue of misrepresentation by one Malay to many. But it shouldn't blind us to being prejudiced to this one Malay, if we try to understand his perspective. The idea is how do we accept such things happen in life, and how so we respond to it?
My personal response is to respond to this issue as a human being, because each individual has a right to choose their way. I am also curious to the negativity that this Malay seemed to be having to the world's perception as to how he should act as a Malay (Muslim). No doubt from all the negativity that he'd received from many as to regards of his freethinking days. How would he have responded during that time if someone had shown him what it means to be a Muslim without having it been forced upon him. Well, nothing is for sure, but would it have made a difference?
It is unfortunate that he has not received his 'hidayat'. But perhaps there is a reason Allah S.W.T. puts him here on earth. To be fair it might be for us to remind us how to be a good Muslim.
Perhaps I seem to be idealistic. But hey, the world is what you make of it. :D
Hope I haven't offended anyone. Peace.