A waste of time for rulers to meet Zamihan, says Zaid
Former minister says the sultans are better off talking to genuine Islamic reformists like Maszlee Malik and Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa.
Taking to Twitter today, Zaid said the two sultans were better off talking to people like Maszlee Malik, Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa and other genuine Islamic reformists.
“Good Muslim reformists are not in short supply. We are just using the wrong people,” he said.
The former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department added that the Malay Rulers in fact had the best opportunity to undertake meaningful reforms of Islam in Malaysia.
“Enough of politicians doing damage,” he added.
Zamihan caused a stir last week when he criticised the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, for rebuking the operator of a controversial Muslims-only laundrette in Muar, Johor, last month.
A video of his comments, which he made during a religious talk at Masjid Tengku Ampuan Jemaah in Shah Alam on Oct 8, soon went viral in addition to receiving wide media coverage.
Addressing the congregation there, Zamihan had said Sultan Ibrahim’s order for the laundrette to cease its Muslims-only policy was not acceptable.
He also made derogatory remarks about the hygiene of Chinese Malaysians.
Following the speech, Sultan Ibrahim criticised Zamihan as well as the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) for hiring him. The Johor ruler also ordered the state religious department to cut all ties with Jakim.
Yesterday, the Sultan of Selangor issued an order revoking the religious teaching credentials of the controversial preacher.
Describing Zamihan’s speech as racist and lacking in manners, a statement from the Selangor palace said Zamihan had also gone overboard in criticising the royal institution in a mosque with royal status.
Following this, the Jakim officer told theSun daily that it was never his intention to go against the country’s royalty, adding that he was in trouble only because the controversy surrounding him was being played up by some quarters.
“If there is room and opportunity for me to seek an audience with any of the rulers, I would love to. Because I have never had any problems with the sultans.
“But if this room and opportunity is not present, then I leave it to God. I am not looking for money or glamour, I am just an akidah-fighter, a fight that will never end until the judgement day,” Zamihan was quoted as saying.
Activist-lawyer Azhar Harun said while the country’s leaders had remained silent on Zamihan’s derogatory remarks on the Chinese, the Johor sultan, the Selangor sultan and the Council of Rulers had “taken the bull by its horns and showed us the Malaysian way”.
“There surely is no place for racist remarks in the public sphere, especially from within the authority that was supposed to represent Islam.
“Where is the government? Knock, knock… anybody home?” he asked on Facebook.
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