Jamil Khir: Apostasy video is genuine

The video of a Muslim man confessing he had been converted to Christianity is “not an act”, according to the federal minister in charge of Islamic affairs.

Utusan Malaysia quoted Jamil Khir Baharom (right), a minister in the Prime Minister's Department, as saying: "The video is not an act or purposely made up but is the truth.

"It should not have happened among Muslims."

He added that the government will follow up on the video exposed by former Selangor Islamic affairs exco Hasan Ali, and work with state Islamic affairs councils to monitor the situation.

The Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) has also confirmed that there are organisations which are proselytising to Muslims, under the guise of doing charity work.

“They use the opportunity to proselytise other religions slowly until some Muslims are willing to leave Islam,” Jakim director Othman Mustapha told Berita Harian.

He said Jakim has been monitoring such activities, including that alleged to have occurred at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church when it was raided by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council last year.

When screening the footage at a press conference on Monday, Hasan (left)had accused his successor  Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Abdul Rani Osman ofbelittling the threat of apostasy .

Denying this in aSinar Harian report today, Abdul Rani said he had declined to attend the press conference, but this was not because he does not believe that matters of faith are unimportant.

He explained that claims of apostasy should be dealt with not only by PAS, but also by Umno, and advised Hasan to forward the names of individuals involved in proselytisation to the authorities for action.

‘Don't fuel religious discord’
In a related matter, acting Perak sultan Raja Nazrin Shah expressed disappointment that “the line pertaining to Islam has been crossed”.

In an address to officiate the Perak state assembly sitting yesterday he said: “Some non-Muslims are becoming more vocal, challenging matters pertaining to Islam through statements which make fun of the Syariah and belittle the Islamic faith.

“Such extreme acts which are done openly could cause a tragedy, and should be firmly halted. A reminder! Don't ignite the embers of religion discourse, don't light the fires of religion, lest you burn yourself - lest the country is burnt to ashes.”