4œ theSun | WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4 2009

news without borders

Asri: My mistake was in JAIS, state

inviting Muslims to think
FORMER Perlis mufti Dr Mohamed
Asri Zainal Abidin, whose high-
profile arrest on Sunday by Selangor
religious authorities kicked off a na-
tional debate, yesterday lashed out at
the authorities for apprehending him
as if he was a terrorist.
He alleged there is a hidden plot
to bring him down for frankly voicing
his scholarly opinions on issues that
affect Muslims’ lives.
He believed he has encouraged
Muslims to be open-minded and this
has not gone down well with those
who believe the ulamas’ opinions
should never be questioned.
Zakiah Koya spoke to him by
telephone as he was on his way to
Bukit Mertajam to explain the “real
reasons” for his arrest.
He tells theSun that because of
what had happened, he was not
dismissing the possibility of entering
politics. Excerpts of the conversa-
tion.
What is your problem with the
the traditional ulama?
Not all traditional ulama are
against me – only those with vested
interests. In many situations, I don’t
know what it is they are opposing.
They have said I am young and that
I should accept them because they
are old. Islam should remain fresh,
especially when we are in a multi-ra-
cial and multi-religious society – we
do not want Islam seen as fanatic
and bigoted. And now they call me
extreme.
In many views of mine, I ask
people to open minds and don’t
misplace trust. I first started having
problems when I was a mufti and I
had opposed the way the authorities
arrest people in close proximity
So where do you think you have
stepped on toes?
I think my mistake was in having
invited Muslims to think. Some peo-
ple do not like people to think much.
Here in religious issues, if you think
Asri ... Some people don’t like reform.
and ask for reasons and facts, and
then only accept, you are deemed to
be challenging the religious authori-
ties (referring to those empowered to
enforce the religion).
Do you think there is a conspira-
cy? Did you see this coming?
I know one day, something will
happen because I talked so much
but I never expected it to happen like
this.
Of course, there is a conspiracy.
You can see that although I was a
mufti of Perlis, a well-known religious
and educated man, yet they brought
a convoy of 38 to 45 armed men to
arrest and handcuff me – what is the
meaning of this? Why did they not
just ask me to go with them politely?
I was in the National Fatwa
Council and I am still a member of
the Majlis Agama Islam Perlis. I am
also a columnist in Utusan and I have
a programme on TV. This is like ar-
resting terrorist Nordin Md Top.
As the one arresting you was JAIS,
do you have problems with Selan-
gor religious authorities?
I do not have certification in
Selangor. And that is because I have
different views from those in power.
It is not only me without certifica-
tion – there are others with PhDs
and heads of Islamic department in
universities but did not get certified.
Then there are those with no uni-
versity degrees at all and have their
certification.
Giving certificates for preaching
religion is against the constitution.
The constitution gives us right to
speech unless we threaten the secu-
rity of the public, the country. If the
security mentioned concerns that of
certain religious groups only, then it
is not the safety of the public. If the
preaching does not humiliate religion,
then it should not be obstructed.
Why do you think you were ar-
rested?
It is very hard to make a conclu-
sion to why this is. Sometimes it is
dangerous to speculate. I cannot
say anything until now but I suspect
some people. Today JAKIM (Depart-
ment of Islamic Development) said
that my certificates are false and this
when I am under the universities.
These are all 100% lies and slander.
I am thinking of taking legal action
against them.
Some people don’t like any kind
of reform. They want to stay on their
comfortable chairs. Sometimes I talk
against certain parties, they are not
satisfied. I cannot say who these par-
ties are.
What about Selangor state exco
for Islamic Affairs Datuk Hasan
Ali, under whose purview JAIS is?
You had criticised him openly.
I will only say Hasan Ali never
showed the spirit of reform as his
opposition coalition and he is not
suitable to lead the people to change.
What about the opposition of Sya-
riah lawyers against your appoint-
ment to YADIM (Islamic Dakwah
Foundation of Malaysia)?
I don’t want to say anything but I
know what hidden hands are behind
all this. Those who are accusing me
know these are all slander and they
cannot prove what they have accused
me of. They are afraid that I will go
to one place and I will change eve-
rything. The lawyers say that I was
focusing on khalwat, on the word “Al-
lah” and issue of non Muslims giving
salam. Will these create instability?
Do you conform to the wahhabi
school as reported widely?
I don’t know what is their defini-
tion of wahhabi. They believe in
covering the faces of women. But I
am not for that and yes, true, if I go to
Saudi they might agree with me on
certain things. Those traditionalists
and conservative people are merely
labelling those with differing views
as wahhabis. I do not teach the book
of Mohamed Abdul Wahab. I respect
him as a scholar but not all his opin-
ions should be accepted.
I am with the open-minded school
of Islam – as a Muslim we should
evaluate all opinions and accept only
the best. If we merely imitate we are
not good Muslims.
What do you think is the result of
your arrest?
One must remember when you
try to kill someone, they might live
more. Those who are out to get me
think they can stop my opinions
and views but actually they may be
opening more doors for people to
think. People actually want change
and although they were silent before
when such a thing like this happens,
it shows that Malaysia does appreci-
ate individuals who wants change,
and are rational.
Will this arrest make you go into
politics?
Until now I cannot predict my
future but if all doors are closed, I will
find the one that is open. We have to
move forward and if I cannot move, I
will find the door that is open.
mufti to
brief exco
today
by Maria J.Dass
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Islamic
Department (JAIS) and the state mufti
are to brief the state executive council
on the arrest of former Perlis mufti Dr
Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin today.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul
Khalid Ibrahim issued the invite to the
two parties yesterday.
In a statement on Monday, Abdul
Khalid said the state was aware of the
public sentiment on the arrest by JAIS,
which has powers that are independent
of the state government to implement
the Selangor Islamic Administration
Enactment.
He hoped JAIS would give a reason-
able explanations to the public about the
incident, as there have been uncertain-
ties and questions arising as to the nature
of arrest and that they would conduct
investigations in a fair manner.
The Islamic scholar’s arrest un-
leashed a torrent of accusations and
finger pointing over who ordered it.
On Monday Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak denied that the
arrest had anything to do with the fed-
eral government and shifted the blame
to the Selangor state government.
Abdul Khalid and other Selangor
leaders, on their part, denied any in-
volvement, and labelled the arrest as a
“ruthless act”.
JAIS on Monday said Asri’s arrest was
not politically motivated and added that
the charge against Asri was for breaking
the law by not obtaining the necessary
permit for preaching on religion.
This was an offence the department
had written to notify Asri about several
times before, said Jais director Datuk
Mohammed Khusrin Munawi.
Asri, who was arrested by JAIS en-
forcement officers and police on Sunday
night while preaching at a private resi-
dence in Hulu Klang, has been released
on bond and is yet to be charged.

Landslide closes Jalan Rawang-Selayang

RAWANG: A landslide at Bukit Kanching at
about 2.45am yesterday cut off road links at
Km12 of Jalan Rawang-Selayang which has been
closed to all traffic.
The landslide brought tonnes of earth crash-
ing down and covered a stretch of 200m to 250m
on both lanes of the road, prompting the Fire
and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence
Department to close the road at 4.45am.
Following the incident, Works Minister
Datuk Shaziman Mansor visited the scene and
instructed the Public Works Department’s slope
engineering unit and the Selayang Municipal
Council to submit a report to determine the
cause of the landslide.
“Construction work in areas near the land-
slide should be stopped temporarily pending
the outcome of the report to avoid another
landslide,” he told reporters here.
He said work to clean the area was being
carried out for the convenience of some 80,000
motorists who normally use the road.
He expected the road to be re-opened for
motorists by 7am today if there was no more
landslide or rain that could hamper cleaning
work in the area.
At about 5.50am, a police team, including the
tracker dog unit, arrived at the scene to comb
the area for victims and vehicles which might be
buried under the landslide. – Bernama