FEBRUARY 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says respect is enough — that is, there is no need for rules or guidelines dictating how Muslims should conduct themselves at non-Muslim ceremonies held in houses of worship.
I say: respect the authority behind the guidelines.
As I wrote in Engage with minister on guidelines for Muslims, it is not the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) that issues the guidelines. It is the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs or Majlis Kebangsaan Hal Ehwal Islam Malaysia (MKI) Fatwa Committee at its 68th meeting on April 12, 2005.
The MKI is a national co-ordinating body of the State Islamic Religious Councils. The Council was created in 1968 at the behest of the Conference of Rulers in recognising the need to have a national body to streamline the development and advancement of Islamic affairs.
The MKI’s creation and establishment is at the behest of the Conference of Rulers which is a constitutional body on the administration of Islam at the national level.
The current chair of the Council is the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah. This was a departure from the previous practice.
Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah together with the Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim set off for the Pledge of Royalty and Investiture Ceremony in conjunction with his 68th birthday celebration at Istana Iskandariah November 9, 2024. — Bernama pic
At the 258th Conference of Rulers in 2023, it was decided that one of the ruling monarchs should take over the role and responsibilities of the chairman, in rotation for two years, with the prime minister as deputy chairman in accordance with the recommendation of the Islamic Affairs Committee.
Before that, in practice, the chair was held by the prime minister, starting with the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra AlHaj.
After the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Anwar said the guidelines were unnecessary.
But that’s what he thought or believed.
Let’s not lose sight that it was at the behest and wisdom of the Rulers that the guidelines were issued.
That’s why Anwar said that he would present the Cabinet’s view to Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak.
That’s respecting the authority behind guidelines.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
