Action can be taken for misusing mosques for personal, political interests: Jawi

The Federal Territories Islamic Department (Jawi) has reminded that action can be taken against those who misuse the institution of mosques for their personal and political interests.

"For your information, the administration of mosques in the Federal Territories is subject to Islamic Law Administration (Federal Territories) Act 1993 (Act 505).

"Hence, the department would like to remind that action can be taken against any violation against the Act, and all parties regardless of political or ideological background are advised to always make sure that mosques are preserved as institutions that uphold the welfare of Muslims," said Jawi director Mohd Ajib Ismail in a statement today.

In a separate statement, the Federal Territories mufti Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri (below) said Jawi had visited him today to get clarification on the oath of mubahalah.

 "The oath of mubahalah is not a requirement if the case is already being heard in court.

"In Islamic law principle, an oath only counts or is only done when asked by the qadhi or the judge.

"It is done after the charge has been done, the evidence put forward and witness testimonies heard," Zulkifli said.

For now, he said, there are courts to solve legal issues and thus he believes that the court is a more appropriate place to swear oaths, if necessary.

Jawi should enforce any laws which forbid any ceremonies related to oaths or sumpah laknat which involves the public's interest or a case that is in the midst of being heard in court, he said.

This is to prevent the institution of mosques from being manipulated by any parties, he said.

Zulkifli said they will publish a series of articles to further elaborate on the issue of mubahalah in the near future.

Last Friday, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak performed a sumpah laknat, an oath beseeching God to curse those who are in the wrong, to deny that he had ordered the killing of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

He did so at the Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru in Kuala Lumpur.

Najib's move was in response to former police special action force (UTK) officer Azilah Hadri accusing the former premier of ordering the Mongolian national's murder in 2006.

In his statutory declaration (SD) from death row in the Kajang prison, Azilah alleged Najib convinced him that Altantuya was a foreign spy who posed a threat to national security.

The former chief inspector's SD was filed together with his application seeking a retrial and judicial review of the Federal Court's decision to reinstate his and another former UTK personnel Sirul Azhar Umar's conviction and death sentence in 2015.

Sirul had fled to Australia when the Court of Appeal acquitted the pair in 2013 and is currently in an immigration detention centre in Sydney. - Mkini