'Keep politics out', Jais tells mosques, surau as polls near

The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has directed all mosque and surau administrators in the state to ban any form of political activities or programmes within the perimeters of such places of worship, including the putting up of political party banners, slogans, or logos.

Jais director Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said campaigns or political parties’ propaganda materials in any form should not be allowed in a mosque, surau or other buildings within their compounds.

“This is due to the possibility that there will be attempts by political parties to hold their political propaganda activities in mosques and surau in Selangor.

“They used to have programmes to announce their candidates contesting in elections, taking of oaths (sumpah mubahalah), members and supporters’ gatherings, and other such activities,” he said in a statement today.

He said the matter had already been communicated to the officers and committees of all Selangor mosques and surau in a memo dated Aug 22, 2022.

“This directive is in line with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s (Mais) resolution to maintain all mosques and surau as neutral zones, free from party politics and political propaganda.

“Based on the Mosque and Surau Regulations (Selangor State) 2017, all mosque and surau administrators must support any resolutions passed by Mais.

“Any actions which insult, go against, breach or dispute the decrees of the Selangor sultan or directives of Mais can be charged under the Syariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995, and the administrators’ appointment can also be revoked by Mais,” he said.  

- Bernama