Penang won’t back down on mosque polls

The state government is prepared to go to court over its decision to hold elections for mosque committee members.

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is prepared to face court challenges over its decision to have election of mosque committee members in the state on June 18, said State Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Abdul Malik Kassim.

He said election of mosque committee members was provide for by Section 22 (4) of the Pulau Pinang Islamic Religious Council Enactment.

“A total of 4,485 people have offered themselves to fill the 4,530 vacancies in 151 of 200 mosques in six districts in the state to enhance the preservation of the mosque institution,” he said in a statement issued today.

He said 151 mosques will be holding the polls while the rest would be using alternative methods of selecting the committee members.