KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — Putrajaya should examine the expenditure of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) and inform Malaysians how the agency is spending taxpayers’ funds, a pro-moderation group comprising retired civil servants said today.
The so-called G25 said the audit was necessary following recent questions over the purpose, legality, functions and spending by the federal Islamic authority, adding that such checks were consistent with the group’s call for the government to curb the creeping powers of religious agencies.
“In line with the above, the G25 supports calls for an audit of JAKIM’s accounts and its transparency as in other government departments...” the group said in a statement today.
“As JAKIM’s activities are financed by Malaysian taxpayers, it is important for the public to know how their money is spent.”
The G25 added that it will also conduct an objective and in-depth study of JAKIM to reaffirm Islam’s position in the country’s system of democracy and to ensure that the department did not meddle in the personal affairs of Muslims.
JAKIM’s role has been questioned by critics who pointed out that Islam came under the purview of the Malay Rulers and the Islamic authorities of the individual states.
The discourse on JAKIM’s position was prompted by a suggestion from Tawfik Ismail, the son of former deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, to disband the agency after asserting that it has no function other than to meddle in the lives of Muslims.
Attention also fell on the agency’s spending after the deputy minister in charge of Islamic affair said JAKIM should be given more than RM1 billion next year, insisting that the RM724.6 million it has been allocated was insufficient.
In 2015, JAKIM was given RM819 million.
