Universiti Islam Antarabangsa law professor Abdul Aziz Bari today denied that he attacked the zakat (tithe) administration and management in Selangor as alleged by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah in a speech yesterday.
“I never attacked the existing zakat management in Selangor. I was just expressing fear about the future, given the extensive amendments to the enactment which gave wide powers to the sultan and this may have some implications to the management of mosques, zakat and others,” Abdul Aziz, who is an expert on constitutional law, told Malaysiakini in an email today.
He was responding to the speech made by the Selangor sultan when opening the Selangor Audit Department’s Wisma Audit in Shah Alam yesterday, when the head of state said that he was “deeply upset” to hear that Abdul Aziz made claims that accounts of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor Tithes Board were not audited and exempted from being audited.
Abdul Aziz explained that the context of his comments was on the “unusual way” attempts were made to pass the bill when the sultan reportedly “issued directives to the lawmakers in the Selangor assembly”.
It was reported that the sultan has issued directives to Selangor assemblypersons to not impede the passage of a bill that will give the royal head of state blanket powers over zakat management, something which the professor had spoken out against.
“As far as zakat management is concerned I was talking about the future, not about the present,” exlained the don, defending his comments as due to his position as expert on the constitution.
“I have also been paying zakat and fitrah in Selangor,” added Abdul Aziz.
Based on this, he argued that what the sultan spoke about him “was incorrect”.
“He was wrongly advised and as such I am willing to see him to explain should he wish to have it,” said Abdul Aziz, repeating his willingness to appear before the sultan to explain his earlier statements.
However, Abdul Aziz who is also an expert on the monarchy in Malaysia, having written and researched extensively on the subject, believes that protocol dictates that such matters as his admonishment be handled by palace officials instead of the royal personage himself.
“I feel the matter should have been dealt with by his officers; such as the chairperson of Mais. Of course there is nothing in the law that prevents the sultan from dealing with the issue himself, but protocol-wise I do not think it is not advisable for him to do so. Politically it is also bad,” he warned.
Abdul Aziz said that his statements on the role of the royals under Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy had received support and encouragements from members of the royal families themselves who are not happy with the way some of the rulers have been conducting themselves.
“I think this is a legitimate concern; something that is crucial to make sure that monarchy remains on the right track, within the constitutional bounds,” concluded the UIA lecturer.
“I never attacked the existing zakat management in Selangor. I was just expressing fear about the future, given the extensive amendments to the enactment which gave wide powers to the sultan and this may have some implications to the management of mosques, zakat and others,” Abdul Aziz, who is an expert on constitutional law, told Malaysiakini in an email today.
He was responding to the speech made by the Selangor sultan when opening the Selangor Audit Department’s Wisma Audit in Shah Alam yesterday, when the head of state said that he was “deeply upset” to hear that Abdul Aziz made claims that accounts of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor Tithes Board were not audited and exempted from being audited.Abdul Aziz explained that the context of his comments was on the “unusual way” attempts were made to pass the bill when the sultan reportedly “issued directives to the lawmakers in the Selangor assembly”.
It was reported that the sultan has issued directives to Selangor assemblypersons to not impede the passage of a bill that will give the royal head of state blanket powers over zakat management, something which the professor had spoken out against.
“As far as zakat management is concerned I was talking about the future, not about the present,” exlained the don, defending his comments as due to his position as expert on the constitution.
“I have also been paying zakat and fitrah in Selangor,” added Abdul Aziz.
Based on this, he argued that what the sultan spoke about him “was incorrect”.
“He was wrongly advised and as such I am willing to see him to explain should he wish to have it,” said Abdul Aziz, repeating his willingness to appear before the sultan to explain his earlier statements.
However, Abdul Aziz who is also an expert on the monarchy in Malaysia, having written and researched extensively on the subject, believes that protocol dictates that such matters as his admonishment be handled by palace officials instead of the royal personage himself.
“I feel the matter should have been dealt with by his officers; such as the chairperson of Mais. Of course there is nothing in the law that prevents the sultan from dealing with the issue himself, but protocol-wise I do not think it is not advisable for him to do so. Politically it is also bad,” he warned.Abdul Aziz said that his statements on the role of the royals under Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy had received support and encouragements from members of the royal families themselves who are not happy with the way some of the rulers have been conducting themselves.
“I think this is a legitimate concern; something that is crucial to make sure that monarchy remains on the right track, within the constitutional bounds,” concluded the UIA lecturer.
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