Putrajaya defends action of religious agencies in 2 controversial cases

Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom defended the action of Islamic enforcement agencies which disrupted a wedding in Selangor and a funeral in Penang, which allegedly involved Muslim converts, saying that the agencies were duty-bound to carry out their responsibilities.

The minister in the Prime Minister's Department said any action taken by Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) or any other Islamic authority has been done according to procedure.

"That is why I have said it is good to spell out their roles and responsibilities.

"Let them do their job according to the SOP," he said at an event in Universiti Teknologi Mara today.

Jamil Khir added that the action by the religious department was based on their good judgement despite the fact that their actions had sparked outrage and criticism.

"Of course, to me, they were only carrying out their duty responsibly in a matter which affects Muslims, and have used wisdom in settling the case which involves Islam.”

He asked critics not to get embroiled in matters that did not involve them.

"I have said this before, let the relevant authorities play their roles in issues involving religion," Jamil Khir said.

In the controversy in Selangor, Jais disrupted the wedding ceremony of 32-year-old bride Zarinah Abdul Majid at a Hindu temple in Petaling Jaya after receiving reports that Zarinah could be a Muslim.

Checks on Zarinah's MyKad showed that she was Muslim and Jais officers took her away for questioning.

However, the bride said her father, who had abandoned her family, had registered her as a Muslim but she grew up as a Hindu.

The bride claimed she went to the National Registration Department (NRD) twice to change her religious status, once in 2007 and last April, but to no avail, as she could not obtain her father's signature.

Jais's actions have been condemned by the Malaysia Hindu Sangam, Bar Council and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

In Penang earlier this week, the state religious authorities stopped the funeral service of Teoh Cheng Cheng, a mother of four, who died last Saturday after she committed suicide at home in Lebuh Macallum, George Town.

The religious authorities said they had proof that Teoh was a Muslim. Her family held a three-day wake according to Taoist rites before the religious officers turned up to claim her remains.

Her mother insisted that Teoh was never a Muslim and had been a practising Buddhist all the while.

Penang religious exco Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim apologised for the manner in which Teoh's body was taken from her family by state religious department officers on the day of the funeral.

Malik, however, maintained that the Penang Islamic Religious Department (JHEAIPP), which is under the state government, had proof that Teoh, 38, was a Muslim.

"On behalf of JHEAIPP, we apologise to the family over the action taken by the department, which was deemed insensitive to the customs and feelings of her family, especially during such a difficult time.

"We should have been more considerate of their feelings, namely Teoh's mother, Tan Mah Suan," he said after a state exco meeting in Komtar.

Teoh's family is now seeking legal redress. Her daughter, Medelyn, has filed an application for an order to check the deceased's religion under the state Islamic Administration Enactment at the Penang Shariah High Court.

The Penang Religious Council (Maipp), the body with locus standi in the case, has been named the defendant. – June 11, 2014.