NIBONG TEBAL, July 16 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that the accreditation of religious figures and Ulama in this country is under the authority of the Malay Rulers.
He said although a prime minister has authority over various matters, when it comes to Islam, the power rests with the Malay rulers.
“They are saying that because Anwar is the Prime Minister, certain people are not being given accreditation. Now listen here. There will be those who get them. (It is) not my decision. This is the decision of the Malay Rulers.
“I do not interfere with who obtains these accreditations, and who does not,” he said when officiating the redevelopment of the Masjid Lama Sungai Bakap, near here, today.
Anwar said the Malay Rulers had come to a decision not to allow mosques to become political arenas, but instead be rightly used to preach and deliver religious sermons.
Anwar said he always respects the decisions taken by the Malay Rulers, despite having made pleas for certain religious scholars to be given the accreditation required.
“I must be respectful, the Prime Minister has a lot of power, but the state governments also have them and there are Malay Rulers who make decisions.
“So for those who do not get the accreditations, appeal to the Ruler. Do not chastise the Prime Minister. You do not understand the law,” he said.
Separately, Anwar said in addition to redevelopment plans, mosque management should also be responsible for the welfare of its congregants, especially the hardcore poor.
In this regard, he said the Madani government will not make any compromises in its plans to resolve hardcore poverty issues by the year-end.
In this regard, the prime minister urged village chiefs and party branch leaders to submit a list of hardcore poor families to their respective district officers for them to be assisted, in turn helping the government eradicate hardcore poverty.
Anwar, who was born in Sungai Bakap, also announced a RM7 million allocation for the redevelopment of the Masjid Lama Sungai Bakap mosque built in 1798.
Also present at the event was Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, who is also Nibong Tebal MP.
The redevelopment of Masjid Lama Sungai Bakap is among seven mosque development projects funded by the Penang government with a total allocation of RM18 million.
The six other mosques are Masjid Papan, Seberang Jaya; Masjid Sungai Lokan and Masjid Sungai Dua Utama in Butterworth; Masjid Bandar Raya Seberang Perai; Masjid Lama Sungai Kechil, Nibong Tebal and Masjid Bandar Putra Bertam, Bertam. — Bernama
