Khairy supports PM for presiding over religious conversion

 

Former Umno leader Khairy Jamaluddin has voiced support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over the latter's presiding of a religious conversion ceremony at a mosque in Klang.

"There's been brouhaha over the issue, saying as the prime minister, Anwar has no business participating in religious business.

"Some even said that he is desperately trying to regain support lost during the state elections, by taking part in 3R (race, religion, royalty) issues.

"I would like to defend the PM on this. Just because he's the prime minister, he does not stop being a Muslim ," the former minister said in the latest episode of his Keluar Sekejap podcast.

Khairy (above) added that he even checked with former religious affairs minister Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri, and was told that any Muslim can help with the conversion of someone who likes to embrace Islam.

"It was reported that the PM participated in the event out of spontaneity. I would have done the same if someone had approached me to do it," he said.

Khairy's co-host Shahril Hamdan concurred, saying that at the end of the day, Islam is the official religion of the country, and elements to ensure the strengthening of the religion are always welcomed.

Anwar had received brickbats for participating in the conversion at the mosque in Klang, involving an Indian youth.

Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor called on the public not to make a big issue out of the matter but said to avoid being turned into a polemic, such activity should be left to the religious authorities or Islamic NGOs.

Khairy also touched on the issue surrounding Perikatan Nasional saying it was mulling using a different National Day logo and theme.

Calling both the idea and the ensuing backlash against the proposal "childish", Khairy, however, noted that this was not the first time such a thing had been done.

"In 2012, during the 55th Merdeka Day celebrations, the national theme and slogan were 'Satu Malaysia, Janji Ditepati', so the then opposition went with a different theme of 'Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa'.

"In fact, Selangor also did not use the federal government's logo for Merdeka last year. So both (PN and Harapan) are in the wrong," he said.

When Shahril asked whether it was time for the country to move beyond slogans and themes, Khairy quipped: "Oh no, in Malaysia, there will be riots without slogans."