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Siti Kasim: Jakim a creature of policy, not law
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3, 2024: The image above will suffice and No News Is Bad News does not have any comment to make.
Siti Kasim is a lawyer and social activist. She raised an issue with the conduct of the racial and religious bigoted Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh (now rewarded with a Datukship) in March but till today, no action has been taken by the police and the so-called Madani Unity Government (UG) for violations under the 3R (Race, Religion, Royalty) which is now clearly used selectively and discriminately.
Depending on who you are, bigots like Akmal can threaten national unity and harmony without a care for the law.
Lawyer and social activist Siti Kasim said: "I recently saw a TikTok video where he (Akmal) was seen calling the Malays to be ready. He was seen sharpening a parang ... this is something the police must act on.
"It is like he is instigating the Malays to create problems. Islam never teaches us all this," said Siti.
A senator has asked why Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has yet to be investigated for sedition after posting a picture of himself holding a sword on Facebook. Akmal had posted the picture, taken during a recent trip to Japan, on March 14. The picture was captioned: “No matter what, we will not waver from our stance. Better to die standing than live kneeling.”
The above image of Siti’s comments were reposted on Facebook with the following comments:
Reposting since Siti Kasim’s original post was taken down by FascistBook
Annually, over a bilion ringgit of taxpayers’ money is allocated to JAKIM. Why do non-Muslims not have a say as to how that money should be spent when it is their hard-earned shringgit being used to propagate a religion they don’t believe in or used for enforcement (raids on hotels, bars, etc). Think of how a billion ringgit of federal funds could be better spent on hospitals, schools, or maintaining facilities used by all.
-03 Sep 2024, 03:06 PM
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim orders national unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang and religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar to clear the air with the council.
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered national unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang and religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar to meet the interfaith council which criticised plans to place Islamic development department (Jakim) officers in government departments.
Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said Anwar ordered the two ministers to meet the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) soon to hear their views and clear the air on the issue.
“Actually, Jakim answered this issue on Aug 7 following statements made by a human rights activist and lawyer at the time. However, MCCBCHST issued a statement yesterday and this has led to a misunderstanding.
Therefore, the prime minister has ordered (the two ministers) to explain the matter, he said at a press conference here.
Fahmi, who is also the communications minister, maintained that these Jakim officers were not involved in policy matters at all.
He added that this policy had existed since 2006 and that there had been no new placement of Jakim officers since then.
This means that ministries that saw the placement of Jakim officers at the time are the only ministries that have Jakim officers present now, he said.
For example, the communications ministry does not have any Jakim officers.
Yesterday, MCCBCHST issued a statement in response to a Daily Express article quoting Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party vice-president David Ong.
In the article, Ong raised concerns about reports that Jakim officers would be placed in every government department to ensure its decisions align with Islamic principles.
MCCBCHST emphasised its support for Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution, which stipulates that Islam is the religion of the federation, but argued that Jakim’s role in ensuring government policies align with Islamic principles would fall outside the constitutional scope of the role of Islam as interpreted by the courts.
Earlier, Na’im had clarified that Jakim officers were not being placed in government departments to influence policy but only to organise Islamic religious programmes.
PAS slams ‘Islamophobic’ interfaith group for criticising Jakim move
-03 Sep 2024, 02:06 PM
The party accuses MCCBCHST of intentionally causing enmity by criticising the plan to place Jakim officers in all government departments.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan claimed that the interfaith group’s legal interpretation is ‘half-baked’ and only serves to disguise ‘darker and more dangerous true intentions’. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: PAS has accused an interfaith group of Islamophobia after it criticised plans to place Islamic development department (Jakim) officers in every government department, saying it could be unconstitutional.
The Islamic party said the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) should retract its statement that the move could affect the fundamental rights guaranteed to all Malaysians.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan claimed that the group’s legal interpretation is half-baked
and only serves to disguise MCCBCHST’s darker and more dangerous true intentions.
He also accused the council of consistently and intentionally trying to cause disharmony and enmity among Malaysians of different faiths, citing its statement on the proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355).
“In both cases where they spoke in protest, MCCBCHST has clearly shown an Islamophobic attitude coupled with narratives depicting that any effort to improve the practice and position of Islam in this country would threaten the rights and freedoms of non-Muslims.
“PAS believes that the council’s attitude and stand on the (Jakim officers) issue are merely assumptions and sentiments.
PAS also believes the council’s stand is a challenge on Muslims’ right to practise their faith freely, and build a good and harmonious relationship in their community, and also raises questions about the position of Islam as the religion of the federation (of Malaysia), he said in a statement.
Takiyuddin, who is also the Kota Bharu MP, urged MCCBCHST to go back to being a consultative council aimed at fostering greater interreligious understanding and harmony.
He also said the group should seek to curb the spread of divisive and damaging tendencies.
Yesterday, MCCBCHST issued a statement in response to a Daily Express article quoting Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) vice-president David Ong.
In the article, Ong raised concerns about reports that Jakim officers will be placed in every government department to ensure decisions align with Islamic principles.
MCCBCHST emphasised its support for Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution, which stipulates that Islam is the religion of the federation, but argued that Jakim’s role in ensuring government policies align with Islamic principles would fall outside the constitutional scope of the term Islam as interpreted by the courts.
However, religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar has since said Jakim officers are not being placed in government departments to influence policy, but to organise Islamic religious programmes.
Placing Jakim officers in govt depts may be unconstitutional, says group
-02 Sep 2024, 12:02 PM
MCCBCHST expresses concern over reports that Jakim officers will be placed in every government department to ensure decisions align with Islamic principles.
MCCBCHST said Jakim’s ‘encroachment’ into the public sphere may be unconstitutional as it could affect the fundamental rights guaranteed to all Malaysians.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) said it is concerned over purported plans to place Islamic development department (Jakim) officers in every government department.
MCCBCHST said Jakim’s encroachment into the public sphere may be unconstitutional as it could affect the fundamental rights guaranteed to all Malaysians.
While the group emphasised its support for Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution, which stipulates that Islam is the religion of the federation, it argued that Jakim’s role in ensuring government policies align with Islamic principles would fall outside the constitutional scope of the term Islam as interpreted by the courts.
Jakim’s involvement in government policy-making may be unconstitutional as in the public sphere, only such Islamic acts as relating to ‘rituals and ceremonies’ are included, it said in a statement.
MCCBCHST was referring to the Supreme Court judgment in 1988 in the case of Che Omar bin Che Soh v Public Prosecutor.
The interfaith council had also cited three Federal Court decisions as having adopted the interpretation of a limited definition of Islam in the constitution.
The other cases were: Indira Gandhi v Perak Islamic religious council (2018), Iki Putra Bin Mubarak v Selangor state government (2021) and Nik Elin Zurina Binti Nik Abdul Rashid v Kelantan state government (2024).
It said its statement was issued in response to an Aug 13 report in The Daily Express in which Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) vice-president David Ong raised concerns about reports that Jakim officers will be placed in every government department to ensure decisions align with Islamic principles.
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