Religion : If The DYMM Raja-Raja Melayu Can Consider Other Options

 Here is some  news that has gone viral: 

 

• Rulers name Sultan of Selangor chairman Majlis Agama Nasional
• Jakim now placed under Malay Rulers
  
• decision made by Conference of Rulers
• Previously Jakim reported to religious affairs minister 
• agency established in 1997, tasked with managing Islamic affairs in country

 

My Comments : For an absolute certainty the politicians who were placed in charge of Jakim (namely the Menteri Agama fellows) looked to the huge budgets allocated to Jakim as a rich cashbox to further their own political survival. At the taxpayers expense. 

 

The question that pops up now is, since Jakim is placed under the DYMM Malay Rulers will there still be a need for a Menteri Agama? 

 

Will Jakim still be allotted those RM1.0 Billion budgets from taxpayers money? 

 

Can the Rulers reject the position of Menteri Agama?

 

The very idea of a Menteri Hal Ehwal Agama contradicts the Federal Constitution which states clearly that religion is under the purview of the Sultans and hence the States - in all its aspects (administration, budgets, religious courts etc).  

 

The creation of a Menteri Hal Ehwal Agama at the Federal level seems to be a surreptitious way to "federalise" religious affairs.

 

As the news report above states "agency established in 1997, tasked with managing Islamic affairs in the country". 

 

This is clearly contradictory to the Federal Constitution which states that religion is a State matter. It is not a "country wide" matter.

 

And please do not say that an entire Federal Ministry is needed, that a Jakim with an RM1.2 Billion budget is needed just to cater for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan alone. That is just not true.

 

That RM1.2 Billion budget is spent all over the country. Not just in the Federal Territories. "agency established in 1997, tasked with managing Islamic affairs in the country".  Indeed that is already "federalisation" of religion.

 

And the creation of the Federal Territories were and still are administratively unnecessary. For sometime now the development of Selangor is perhaps more efficient than the development of Kuala Lumpur.     Meaning the respective States can easily manage and administer those territories. Its no big deal. Just allocate the funds and tall buildings will sprout anyway.

 

Great achievements : Dig a hole for tens of millions of Ringgit, fill it with water 

then build a bridge over it for more millions of Ringgit.

 

The country already has more than sufficient religious authorities and departments.

 

1.  There is the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan - yes it is an attempt at "federalisation" of religion. Despite the use of the name 'kebangsaan' the fatwas of the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan CANNOT hold any legal status in the States. The Federal Constitution has structured it such that the States have to pass their own legislation to officially enforce any fatwa by the State authorities. 

 

So what is the purpose of the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan?  The suggestion is to "selaraskan" the fatwas.  But isnt that exactly against the Federal Constitution. The States have to pass their own legislation over religion.  If there is any attempt at "menyelaraskan" at the Federal level, then it is already "federalisation". Perlis, Kedah and Selangor have made smoking haram and a punishable offence. Other States have not. Obviously the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan did not "menyelaraskan" the smoking fatwa. 

N'theless we have a Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan.

 

2.  Then in the States there are the respective Jabatan Agama Negeri. Every negeri has one.

 

3.  Then there are also the Jabatan Muftis in the States which often appear to be separate from the Jabatan Agama Negeri.

 

4.  Then there is Jakim.

 

5.  Finally there is the Majlis Agama Nasional or MAN - of which the general public knows very little. They have a website here. The MAN was set up by the Rulers Conference to advise them - as an advisory body. Not to initiate religious laws. But the MAN is indeed the "highest" advisory body in matters relating to religion. This time it is being chaired by DYMM the Sultan of Selangor.  

Perak is now without a Mufti. My view is that the Jakim and the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan were purely political structures, designed to further the political agendas of whichever government was/is in office. And Jakim is big money. RM1.2 Billion is no small sum. 

We really do not need Jakim or the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan. These are just extra administrative layers created by the politicians to give them some degree of control over religious affairs to suit their interests. 

 

For example I recall the Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan being called upon to make a fatwa on the Al Arqam sect so many years ago. Not all the States even agreed to that fatwa. One opposition ruled State (at that time) chose to ignore that fatwa. It was politics again. 

When religion has access to plenty taxpayers funds that can indeed be an uncontrollable genie. Once it escapes from the bottle it may be very difficult to put it back inside again.

I really hope the DYMM Raja-Raja Melayu will keep religion inside the States. And watch over it carefully. Daulat Tuanku.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.