AG drops probe over '200 tahfiz schools closed' claim

The Attorney-General's Chambers has decided that there was insufficient evidence to charge those claiming that 200 tahfiz schools in Selangor had been closed down.

In a written reply, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said investigations were initiated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

“Investigation papers were referred to the attorney-general. However, the case was classified as NFA (no further action) because the element of sedition could not be fulfilled,” he said.

In August, Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah decreed that those who were making such false allegations be brought to justice.

The Selangor government is on a campaign to register all tahfiz schools in the state to regulate the industry.

However, this has led to some claims online that 200 tahfiz schools had been ordered to close.

Saifuddin's reply was to Lim Lip Eng (Harapan-Kepong) who sought an update on police investigations into the claim as well as investigations that 54,000 citizens of China were in the process of being given Malaysian citizenship.

On the second claim, Saifuddin said the matter was being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code for criminal defamation and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

“The Attorney-General's Chambers is still studying the matter,” Saifuddin said.

This claim also began to spread online in August and was swiftly rebutted by Saifuddin.

Despite Saifuddin's denial, Bersatu and some PAS-related social media accounts continued to press for a probe into the veracity of the claim. - Mkini