Selangor exco sees SIS ruling as opening door to liberal and plural Islamic views, warns fatwa on ‘deviant' individuals still enforced
KLANG, June 20 – The Selangor government has claimed today that yesterday's landmark decision in favour of Muslim women's rights group Sisters in Islam (SIS) may open the door to the spread of liberal and pluralistic views of Islam.
State Islamic affairs and innovation committee chairman Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said he agrees with the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) that the decision could be exploited by some organisations or institutions to disseminate alternative interpretations of Islam.
'The state government will continue efforts to scrutinise, detect and enforce [the law] on any individuals who practise liberal and pluralistic religious ideologies,' he was quoted saying by The Star.
'This is to ensure that the sanctity of Islam continues to be protected in Selangor.'
Fahmi said existing fatwa or religious edicts still deem individuals who promote liberal and pluralistic interpretations of Islam as 'deviants'.
'These individuals cannot be allowed to freely continue practising and spreading such ideologies directly or indirectly using the Islamic label to obtain legitimacy,' he reportedly said.
He urged the public to report any deviant religious teachings to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais).
Yesterday, civil society SIS won its nearly 11-year-long court challenge against a Selangor fatwa, which means that its company — SIS Forum (Malaysia) — is no longer labelled 'sesat' or 'deviant' from Islamic teachings.
Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who chaired the Federal Court's five-judge panel, read out the majority judgment which quashed parts of the Selangor fatwa.
In other words, the Selangor fatwa will now only apply to individuals — labelling those who hold liberalism and religious pluralism beliefs as 'deviants' from Islamic teachings and requiring them to repent.
In response, Mais had cited the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, expressing his disappointment and sadness over the Federal Court's decision.
The sultan also urged SIS to cease using the term 'Sisters in Islam' in any publication or platform associated with the organisation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
33 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Port Klang rep confident columbarium near mosque won't be built
Villagers protesting against the proposed columbarium project next to a mosque in Klang. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Port Klang assemblyman Azmizam Zaman Huri has expressed confidence that the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) will reject a proposal to build a four-storey columbarium near the Kampung Raja Uda mosque in Klang. He said the developer had failed to present or justify the suitability of the project in a Malay-majority area, Bernama reported. Azmizam said the proposal was clearly unsuitable as the land zoning under the MBDK local plan up to 2035 specifies the proposed project site is meant to be 'a limited commercial area'. Today, he was present at a public hearing on the project attended by the residents, the developer and the town planning department. It was chaired by MBDK deputy mayor Zary Affendi Arif at the council's building in Klang. Azmizam, who led the residents in protesting against the proposal, said that under current laws, only 28 types of limited commercial activities were allowed in the area – none of which include the construction of a memorial or columbarium. He urged MBDK to give an assurance that no construction would be allowed at the proposed site unless official approval is obtained, in line with Section 19 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172). Kampung Raja Uda mosque nazir (administrator) Ismail Arsat voiced concern that the village's status as part of the royal city could be tarnished by the project. He said the iconic landmark and main attraction of the village, the Raja Uda mosque, could be marred if the columbarium is built just 83 metres from the mosque. MBDK said it would consider objections and proposals from both sides before referring the matter to the one-stop centre committee meeting on June 24 for an assessment.
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Counter rally to clash with anti-graft student protest on Sabah governor's birthday tomorrow
KOTA KINABALU, June 20 — A new pro-government youth movement is set to take to the streets of Kota Kinabalu this weekend to counter the Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 anti-graft rally. The Gerakan Anak Muda dan Mahasiswa Anak Sabah (Gammas) has announced its intention to hold a peaceful assembly on Gaya Street, explicitly to counter what it calls the 'misrepresentation' by the student activist group Suara Mahasiswa UMS, which is organising Gempur. 'The purpose of this gathering is not to rival the anti-corruption rally 2.0 organised by Suara Mahasiswa UMS, but rather to clarify to the public that the majority of students at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) do not support the rally organised by Suara Mahasiswa UMS,' they said in a statement today. While the Suara Mahasiswa protest is focused on government accountability and alleged mismanagement of funds, Gammas said they will be demonstrating in support of the state leadership under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and the GRS-PH coalition government. 'The main objectives of the gathering is to express support for our chief minister and the GRS-PH government to continue leading Sabah, as they have shown strong commitment to student and youth welfare,' they said. They outlined several benefits such as the Sentosa one-off RM300 assistance for students studying in Sabah, the Budi programme offering RM1,500–2,000 in cash aid for qualified tertiary education students, the Subfly flight ticket subsidy programme, public scholarships amounting to RM50 million and laptop assistance among others. The group also voiced strong support for the monarchical institution in Sabah, claiming it is a unifying force in a multicultural state and criticising what it sees as attempts by Peninsular-based political actors to undermine it. They said they submitted their notice of the rally to the Kota Kinabalu police on June 16. The Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 rally was given the greenlight by police on June 18. They had announced their rally last month. The rally is expected to begin on Saturday at 1.00pm in front of Suria Sabah shopping mall, with participants marching to Lintasan Deasoka, Gaya Street, and continuing the demonstration through Sunday. Their demands include action on the Sabah Water Department scandal, institutional reforms for the anti-corruption commission and suspension of individuals accused of corruption. The rallies coincide with the 74th official birthday celebration of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri tomorrow morning.
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Outgoing IGP Razarudin retires after 42 years, urges creation of dedicated police ministry
KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Outgoing Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain today handed over his duties to his successor, Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail, marking the end of a 42-year career with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). The official handover ceremony, held at the Dewan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim in Pulapol Kuala Lumpur, also saw the appointment of Datin Sri Munirah Che Rose as the new chairperson of the Police Family Association (PERKEP) Malaysia. Razarudin congratulated Khalid on his appointment as the 15th Inspector-General of Police, expressing confidence in Khalid's leadership and integrity in taking the force to greater heights. 'Congratulations also to Datin Sri Munirah Che Rose on her appointment. I believe she will continue to uphold PERKEP's legacy,' he said in a statement today. He also extended his congratulations to several senior officers appointed as department directors, including CP Hussein Omar Khan, CP Rusdi Mohd Isa, CP Hamzah Ahmad and DCP Gilbert Philip Layang. Reflecting on his tenure, Razarudin highlighted the force's evolution into a respected institution in the region and globally, crediting the leadership of the Prime Minister and Home Minister, as well as the commitment of PDRM personnel. He acknowledged several key initiatives, including the RM2.3 billion allocation for police infrastructure under the 12th Malaysia Plan, the strengthening of border security in Sabah and Sarawak, and ongoing efforts to revamp public sector remuneration. He also outlined his vision for the force, which included the formation of a dedicated Cyber and Technology Department, enhancing police training through accredited diploma programmes, and positioning PDRM's Kuala Lumpur Police College as a regional hub for cybercrime and narcotics research. Razarudin expressed hope that the government would consider placing PDRM under a dedicated ministry, similar to law enforcement agencies in other countries, to further strengthen the institution. Emphasising the importance of integrity, he said the force would continue to address internal issues of misconduct and corruption, while also enhancing communication with the public and media to build trust. He concluded by expressing gratitude to all PDRM personnel, strategic partners and PERKEP members, and wished his successor continued success in leading the police force.
