Tawfik Ismail stands by criticism of Jakim after police questioning

G25 member Tawfik Ismail has been in the spotlight since an interview last November in which he criticised the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim). – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 8, 2016.

Despite being the subject of a sedition probe, G25 member Tawfik Ismail says he is undaunted and stands by his view that religion is the sole prerogative of the sultans and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as prescribed in the Federal Constitution.

He said he told police this along with his views on the "unnecessary expansion" of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) when questioned for an hour at the Shah Alam police station today. 

"It appears that Jakim was set up to encroach on the powers of the sultans and the respective state religious authorities.

"I am asking that the demarcations set out in the constitution be followed so that the federal government can act as a national government for all citizens and races and religions and develop national integration," he told The Malaysian Insider this afternoon after giving his statement to the police.

Tawfik said he told police that his remarks about abolishing Jakim which had got him into trouble were in response to a question in an interview last year on the differences between the government today and under the administration of former prime ministers. 

His father, the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, was deputy prime minister when Tunku Abdul Rahman was first prime minister.

The former Umno MP added that in the weeks after his interview was published with The Malaysian Insider in November last year, there seemed to be a concerted effort by the religious authorities to impose "religious apartheid" in the form of "halal trolleys" and forcing dress codes on employees.

He said such actions, with or without Putrajaya's sanction, were a form of blackmail using religious arguments.

He also criticised the licensing of halal products which he said had been turned into a business rather than a government obligation.

This, he said, caused prices to rise as producers passed on unnecessary costs to consumers.

The G25 member however added that his views were his own and were not reflective of or sanctioned by the group of retired Malay civil servants.

- TMI