Penang state demonised after wilful leak of mufti’s letter
State exco Abdul Malik Kassim says letter on ban of loudspeakers at mosques was leaked with bad intentions to create public unrest.
(Free Malaysia Today) – The leak of a letter by the Penang mufti proposing the banning of loudspeakers at mosques except for the call of prayer was intentionally done with the express purpose of causing unrest among Muslims and non-Muslims, said Penang state executive councillor for Islamic Affairs Abdul Malik Kassim.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Malik said that due to the leaked letter, the Penang state government and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had come under heavy criticism and been unjustly blamed for interfering in Islamic matters.
“That is not true. This decision has nothing to do with us but because the letter has been leaked with bad intention to create problems, certain quarters have threatened to rally and carry out activities to demonise the state government.”
He said the state exco was investigating how the letter was leaked and would take appropriate action, including lodging a police report in the meantime.
He also clarified that the ban was only at the proposal stage and that the process to gazette the fatwa, dated September 1, was a lengthy one.
Defending the proposal to ban loudspeakers at mosques was state mufti Wan Salim Mohd Noor, who said the fatwa, if it was gazetted, did not affect the sanctity of Islam and was in line with the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.
The Malay Mail Online meanwhile reported that preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin also agreed and said, “Considering that Malaysia has a multicultural and multi-religious community, the culture of respect must be nourished.
“Based on the spirit of maqasid shariah, the Penang mufti’s fatwa to ban the use of mosque loudspeakers for things other than calls to prayer, should be supported and adopted.”
