Are the loudspeakers turned on 24 hours?

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department senator Jamil Khir Baharom has warned certain quarters not to politicise religious issues and evaluate their repercussions.

Commenting on the azan issue, he urged certain quarters not to play up religious sentiments by getting political parties into the fray.

"So refrain from questioning the worship of Muslims. Anyway, we will investigate and monitor the azan and find out what really happened.

"Are the loudspeakers turned on for 24 hours or turned on only for the azan," he told reporters after meeting district mosque coordinating officers, imams and Kafa teachers in Jitra today.

The minister who is in charge of religious affairs was commenting on a protest by about 100 people at the mosque yesterday over a letter sent by a non-Muslim lawyer to the prime minister, Jakim and Selangor Islamic Religious Department, asking for the volume of the loudspeakers announcing the azan to be lowered.

According to reports, Jamil Khir has denied that the Prime Minister’s Department and the Federal Territory Islamic Department (Jawi) had issued a directive to the Al-Ikhlasiah Mosque in Kampung Kerinchi lower the volume of its loudspeakers.

Liu insulted Islam, says Jamil Khir

On Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu's order to the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) to lift a ban on Muslims from working at premises selling alcohol, Jamil Khir said Ronnie had insulted Islam.

"The ban is enshrined in the Selangor Syariah Criminal Enactment which should not be touched by Ronnie. We are defending the morality of Muslims but certain quarters are doing the opposite," said Jamil Khir.

The Selangor government yesterday said that the ban was put on hold to allow Muslim workers in such premises look for other jobs.

Jamil Khir also hit out at MP for Titiwangsa Dr Lo'lo Ghazali for describing Jakim and state religious officers as "mandom" (slow, lethargic, stupid) in her blog in defence of MP for Serdang Teo Nie Ching for attending a workout at the compound of Taman Cheras Jaya Mosque, Balakong recently in tight-fitting clothes.

"She (Lo'lo) should be tactful with her comments," said Jamil Khir.

Earlier, he said imams and district mosque coordinating officers would get a raise in their allowances from RM450 to RM750 while Kafa teachers from RM500 to RM800, effective this month.

- Bernama