PKR Youth disagrees with lawyer, says not all Jakim sermons ‘extreme’

(Malay Mail Online) – Civil liberties lawyer Eric Paulsen erred in labelling all sermons prepared by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) as “extreme”, PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said today.

The Selangor lawmaker admitted, however, that some Friday sermons have included objectionable content but noted that not all had come from the religious authority’s approved texts.

“There have indeed been sermons whose content many Malaysians, Muslim and non-Muslim, have found worrying.

“However to imply that all of Jakim’s Friday sermons are extreme is also wrong,” he said in a statement here.

He was referring to Paulsen’s post on Twitter last Friday in which the latter he wrote, “Jakim is promoting extremism every Friday. Govt needs to address that if serious about extremism in Malaysia.”

In a response on Saturday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said Paulsen will be investigated under the Sedition Act.

Nik Nazmi, however, urged for calm after Paulsen’s tweet, saying violence, intimidation or the Sedition Act should not be used against the lawyer.

He pointed out that Paulsen was criticising Jakim as a statutory body and not Islam.

“Muslims should respond to any speech that we find disagreeable through reasoned arguments,” he said.

The lawmaker added that Friday sermons should go back to the basic tenets of Islam, which he said advocates justice and promotes peace and prosperity for all.