Selangor Islamic affairs exco Hasan Ali today rapped the media for using the word 'raid' in describing the Aug 3 incident at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church.
Instead, he said, the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) had in fact just 'searched' the premises in the controversial incident. "The term 'search' has been changed to become 'raid'. Who raided (the place)? A raid involves acts of ransacking, kicking in doors, and throwing things around... "(But the meaning of) 'search' is different...Did the media see in the incident or really understand what took place?" he asked about 180 people, including media practitioners. 
In his opening speech at a Jais-sponsored seminar entitled "The Implementation of Policy and Strategy: The Role of Media in Facing Threats to Faith", Hasan added that the word 'raid' implied that force was used by Jais. "When Jais is reported to have conducted a raid, it means that Jais had acted roughly, did not follow investigation norms, that they were trying to cover up something and going against moral and religious teachings," he said. Sympathise with Jais call Defending Jais further, Hasan, who stressed he had no "conflict of interest" in the issue also invited the audience to "show sympathy" to the embattled department. "When I defend Jais in their involvement in the incident, I am not thinking as a PAS member or a politician (but) as someone who has been entrusted by God. "My words are sincere, I speak of faith and syariah...I do not use the language of politics," he said. Hasan, who is also Gombak Setia assemblyperson said that in fact there are "a lot of things" that he wanted to say in relation to the incident, but was barred by the gag order issued by the Menteri Besar on all excos. He added that he had adhered to the gag order so that his statements could not be "manipulated" by the media. Speaking to reporters later, he said that he "did not see" any 
errors in media reports of the controversial incident, but problems in the way the reports were slanted. "This issue involves Muslims and non-Muslims, involving two religions, so it is very sensitive," Hasan (right) said, reminding reporters that the gag order is still in force. Asked to elaborate on his call for sympathy for Jais, Hasan said this meant that the media should "report in the context in which Jais would want". "I'm not asking you to support Jais, no, no, no. I want to see the media understand what Jais wants, their idealism and intentions," he said. On when the Sultan of Selangor is expected to reveal the Jais report on the church incident, Hasan said that "it is not in his jurisdiction". "That is between the MB (Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) and the Sultan...it's best we wait for the palace to decide," he said.
In his opening speech at a Jais-sponsored seminar entitled "The Implementation of Policy and Strategy: The Role of Media in Facing Threats to Faith", Hasan added that the word 'raid' implied that force was used by Jais. "When Jais is reported to have conducted a raid, it means that Jais had acted roughly, did not follow investigation norms, that they were trying to cover up something and going against moral and religious teachings," he said. Sympathise with Jais call Defending Jais further, Hasan, who stressed he had no "conflict of interest" in the issue also invited the audience to "show sympathy" to the embattled department. "When I defend Jais in their involvement in the incident, I am not thinking as a PAS member or a politician (but) as someone who has been entrusted by God. "My words are sincere, I speak of faith and syariah...I do not use the language of politics," he said. Hasan, who is also Gombak Setia assemblyperson said that in fact there are "a lot of things" that he wanted to say in relation to the incident, but was barred by the gag order issued by the Menteri Besar on all excos. He added that he had adhered to the gag order so that his statements could not be "manipulated" by the media. Speaking to reporters later, he said that he "did not see" any errors in media reports of the controversial incident, but problems in the way the reports were slanted. "This issue involves Muslims and non-Muslims, involving two religions, so it is very sensitive," Hasan (right) said, reminding reporters that the gag order is still in force. Asked to elaborate on his call for sympathy for Jais, Hasan said this meant that the media should "report in the context in which Jais would want". "I'm not asking you to support Jais, no, no, no. I want to see the media understand what Jais wants, their idealism and intentions," he said. On when the Sultan of Selangor is expected to reveal the Jais report on the church incident, Hasan said that "it is not in his jurisdiction". "That is between the MB (Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) and the Sultan...it's best we wait for the palace to decide," he said.
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