Politics has no place in Penang mosques - deputy CM

Deputy Chief Minister I Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman has said all mosques in Penang are not allowed to be used for political purposes, and anyone who disobeys his directive on the matter will face the law.

Ahmad Zakiyuddin said he had issued a directive to all mosques, ordering them to avoid being used for political interests.

"They must also not be used for campaigning purposes by any political party," the Pinang Tunggal assemblyperson said during his wrapping-up speech at the Penang legislative assembly today.

"It is not wrong to discuss about Islamic political justice, which is based on God's revelations (wahyu), but this must be differentiated from party politics," he added.

He was responding to Mohd Tuah Ismail (PKR-Pulau Betong), who had highlighted the need to review guidelines with regard to organising religious programmes, so that such events did not touch upon sensitive and political issues in mosques.

Earlier in February, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa said that it is up to individual states to decide whether to allow controversial Indian preacher Zakir Naik to preach locally.

At the time, Ahmad Zakiyuddin had said that Zakir, being an outside preacher, would have to apply for permission to preach at religious ceramahs in Penang.

The deputy chief minister oversees the Islamic affairs, industry development, and community relations portfolio.

He said the state would not hesitate to take action against anyone who misused mosques to divide the people.

Framework for preachers

As for visiting preachers or special sermons on Fridays, Ahmad Zakiyuddin said the Penang Islamic Council (MAIPP) had issued a guideline in 2010 which stated that sensitive and political topics should not be used to create divisions within the community.

"Such issues should not be raised to cause upset […] for any race, religion and culture as it can result in tensions between different races and religious communities," said the deputy chairperson of MAIPP.

"At the same time, we will also work with MAIPP to prepare a specific policy framework to deal with preachers who abuse the mosque and surau for narrow partisan politics to create divisions in the Muslim community," he added.  - Mkini