Apologise or we'll tell Agong, warns NGO

PKR-linked NGO Jingga 13 today called on Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom and two others to apologise for “misappropriating” tithe (zakat) funds.

In a statement today, its secretary Saifuddin Shafi Muhamad said that if they do not do so the NGO will raise the matter with the Agong.

“We urge Jamil Khir (right) and the two Federal Territories Islamic Department officers to apologise within 48 hours, or we will take the issue to the Agong, who is head of Islam in the nation,” he said.

He added that the act of abusing tithe funds disqualifies the minister from being in charge of Islamic affairs.

“The minister and the other two officers should resign if they are people with dignity and morals,” he said.
 
Jingga 13 had this morning lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission at its Shah Alam office on the matter.

“We hope a detailed investigation is carried out by the MACC,” he said.

Last week, an Audit Department report revealed that Jamil Kir, Federal Territories Islamic Department director Che Mat Che Ali and the department’s chief prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain’s legal fees were paid by using tithe funds.

The trio were called as respondents in the qazaf case involving Permatang Pauh MP Anwar Ibrahim.

The report, however, stated that the RM63,650 was repaid when the Federal Territories Islamic Council (MAIWP) received a RM700,000 grant in June 2010, as general resources allocation from the government.

Several quarters have responded to this by saying that this does not absolve the trio from wrongdoing as there have been previous convictions against those who abused tithe funds, even though the amount taken was refunded.

MAIWP yesterday justified paying for the trio’s legal fees as they are civil servants.