JAIS targets ex-Perlis mufti for unauthorised lecture

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Ex-Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin could face an Islamic court for ostensibly lecturing without a permit after he was briefly held at a religious lecture in Ampang last night but the maverick is claiming blatant persecution.

He has been ordered to turn up for further questioning at the Gombak district Islamic Affairs Department at 9am today after he was earlier freed at 1.10am on police bail.

He told reporters later the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) claimed he was giving lectures without a permit.

"I take this as selective persecution as they have always targeted me. This is a planned arrest as I am sure there are other religious lectures or gatherings like this elsewhere in Selangor," said Asri, who recently returned from post-graduate studies in Britain.

Some 35 JAIS enforcement officials and 25 policemen detained him at the lecture in a businessman's house in the posh Taman Sri Ukay area at about 9.30pm. More than 300 people including PKR Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin and Hulu Klang assemblyman Saari Sungib were at the lecture that began at 8pm.

"The JAIS action doesn't make sense not because I want them to respect me but they should know that I am the former Perlis mufti," he added.

A mufti is the highest-ranking religious official appointed to advise a state Ruler on Islamic laws, which is under royal purview. A mufti has wide powers that even the Selangor palace recently ticked off its religious executive councillor Datuk Dr Hasan Ali for interfering in the execution of Islamic laws.

But Asri, who is being courted by PAS to join the Islamist party, questioned the need for a permit for those lecturing in Selangor.

"I want to explain that even when I was the Perlis mufti, JAIS said that all muftis can lecture in Selangor except me.

"So imagine if they ask me why I didn't apply for authorisation. They had already stopped me from speaking when I was holding the mufti post," he added.

Always a controversial figure while even a mufti, Asri had recently slammed critics against his appointment as head of national Islamic missionary movement YADIM sponsored by the federal government.

He had also courted bad publicity in the past for allegedly following the puritanical Wahabbi Islam practised in Saudi Arabia.

"They didn't arrest me for being a Wahabbi, just for not having a permit to lecture," Asri clarified. Most Malaysian Muslims follow the Shafie school of jurisprudence, one of the four recognised schools in Sunni Islam.

Ampang district police chief ACP Abdul Jalil Hassan told Bernama that police only helped in the raid and he had no knowledge it was related to the ex-Perlis mufti. (TMI)

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Angry parent punches teacher

KAMPAR : A TEACHER has lodged a police report alleging that he was punched by a parent after news of the collapsed suspension bridge spread around Kampar.

He made the report at the Kuala Dipang police station.

Hundreds of parents converged on Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Dipang after the suspension bridge at the 1Malaysia Co-curriculum Centre collapsed around 10.40pm.

Initial reports had it that 22 pupils had drowned in the Kampar River.

Kampar police chief Supt Abdul Aziz Salleh said the male teacher was one of the teachers supervising pupils taking part in the activities organised at the centre by the Kinta Selatan District Education Department.

Abdul Aziz said apart from Fire and Rescue Department, police and Rela, Royal Malaysian Navy divers were brought in to assist in the search and rescue operations.

He said rescuers were concentrating their efforts up to several kilometres downriver, especially around the Tronoh Mines area where debris traps are located.

The body of the first victim, Dina Deve Nathan,11, was found by rescuers at 8.40pm about 2km from the collapsed bridge (mm)
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Khalid says Umno can have Badrul, Khir Toyo says will accept

SHAH ALAM,— Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim today said Umno was welcome to have Badrul Hisham Abdullah if it really wanted a state lawmaker who could not serve his constituents.

The Selangor mentri besar also indicated that he did not care if the Port Klang assemblyman became an independent lawmaker or joined Umno or even MCA.

However, he pointed out that Badrul had made a commitment to serve the public when he was elected and, if he was really responsible, should resign to give others the opportunity to do the job.

He said measures would be taken if Badrul refuses to resign but declined to elaborate.

Khalid was speaking to reporters today in response to an earlier statement by his political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who said Badrul should quit his seat for non-performance and the recommendation would be made to the PKR supreme council.

He added the state government could not tolerate incompetent and irresponsible leaders.

In an immediate reaction, opposition leader Datuk Seri Khir Toyo said Umno would welcome Badrul into the party.

The former Selangor mentri besar said Umno was open to Malays and Bumiputeras.

Khir added that Khalid should have given Badrul more time to improve.

“If he comes to Barisan Nasional (BN) we will give him the opportunity to serve,” said Khir.

He pointed out that if Badrul was really not good, "why did PKR let him stand for elections in the first place?"

Meanwhile, Badrul remained incommunicado today and reporters who went to his home in Kampung Raja Uda, Port Klang saw his car in his porch but no one was in.

The call for the embattled politician to resign raises prospects of a by-election in Selangor.

Controversy has plagued the lawmaker due to complaints by his constituents that he was frequently absent and could not be contacted. (TMI)

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