KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) has withdrawn the accreditation to teach Islam given to political activists effective of 31 December 2021.
The Chairman of MAIS, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said that the decision was made to honour the decree of the Selangor Sultan, who ordered that Islam should not be politicised and turned into political material at the mosques and suraus in the state.
“To honour the sacredness of Islam in Selangor, His Majesty Sultan of Selangor does not grant consent to political activists to teach Islam as it may be abused for the benefit of certain political parties which would end up in slanders, misunderstanding and division among the Muslims in Selangor, and tarnish the image of Islam.
“The Sultan of Selangor also decreed that the accreditation to teach Islam in Selangor given to political activists to be withdrawn effective of 31 December 2021,” he said in a statement today.
Therefore, the MAIS Accreditation Committee will revise all accreditation issued by the organisation.
However, the State Government Meeting Council members who hold the Islam portfolio may still teach Islam if they do not touch political issues in their teaching. The exemption is given in line with the decree of the Sultan.
He also reminded that teaching Islam without accreditation is an offence under Section 118 Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003. Upon conviction, the offender may be fined up to RM3,000 or imprisoned for two years or both.
Besides that, any contempt of rightful authority, disobedience or questioning the decree of the Sultan of Selangor who acted as the Head of Islamic Religion in withdrawing the accreditation to teach Islam awarded to the political activists would also be an offence under Section 12 (A) of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995.
Upon conviction a person be liable to a fine not exceeding three thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both. -MalaysiaGazette
