EVIL IN THE NAME OF ISLAM ‘GROWING LIKE MUSHROOMS AFTER THE RAIN’ – BUT WHO TO BLAME WHEN EVEN MAHATHIR STILL PLAYS THE ‘POLITICAL ISLAM’ GAME HE STARTED WHEN IN UMNO

PETALING JAYA: Veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin has voiced disappointment that Muslims are allowing Islam to be used as a tool to make money without any control.

Supporting the views of Perak Sultan, Sultan Nazrin Shah two days ago, Kadir said he “agrees and supports 100%” that those who set up religious institutions and activities were looking only at making profits.

“Just look at the way the various types of institutions, items and services with Islamic branding. It is not wrong, but there should be limits,” the media and communications adviser to the prime minister said.

He cited the enthusiasm of setting up Islamic schools to memorise the Quran.

“They are growing like mushrooms after the rain.

“Some parents are proud to send their children to these sekolah pondok and tahfiz schools. As long as there is an Islamic label, they feel there is no need to worry and investigate further these centres,” he said in a blog post.

Due to this, Kadir said children in such places have died in landslides and fires, or sodomised and abused to death. Some were even forced to beg for donations.

“Whenever any untoward incident occurs, warnings and promises are made.

“But commercialising religion is rampant because most state and federal religious authorities are only good at talking,” he added.

Kadir said in order to save Islam from being exploited, the Malay rulers, who are the head of Islam in their respective states, must get the cooperation of the clerics and Malay scholars.

Sultan Nazrin Shah, in a recent speech to mark the golden jubilee celebration of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia, had deplored the decline in moral values among Muslims in the country despite an increase in the number of Islamic institutions.

He further said large-scale corruption had recently been uncovered although more and more from the Malay community were becoming professionals and academics.

Kadir was shocked that Islamic values are eroding. He said if the Malays do not practise the right values, they would taint the good name of Islam.

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