Name changed after ticking off by S'gor sultan

Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has moved to downplay the dispute with the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, over the set up of the syura (consultative) council by describing it as a mere "confusion" to be clarified by change of name to "hearing committee".

This follows the sultan’s clarification yesterday that he had never recommended for the establishment of the syura council over the controversy between the Damansara Utama Methodist Church and the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais), and that any such council would overlap with other religious bodies already operating in the state.

In a statement issued late last night, Khalid said the redundancy with the functions accorded to Jais and other bodies such as the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council and the state’s department of the mufti can be addressed with the change of name.

"The state government regrets the confusion over the usage of the name of 'syura council' for the committee established to seek a solution over the inspection of Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) on Aug 3," said the statement.

However, Khalid insisted the objective, work plan and membership of the committee remain the same, and are consistent with what had been discussed by Khalid and the Sultan when they met last week.

"The state government hopes the change of name will dispel any confusion and continue with all efforts to find a solution on the issue of DUMC and Jais for the harmony of Selangor people."

On Monday, Khalid announced the establishment of the council to "resolve" the controversy that had emerged from Jais’ disruption of a multiracial dinner held at the DUMC following claims that proselytisation was taking place targeting a number of Muslims then present.

The idea, said Khalid, to form a syura council came from the Selangor sultan and was to comprise of Khalid himself, state mufti Tamyes Abdul Wahid and his deputy Abdul Majid Omar.

In what was seen as a blow to the Selangor menteri besar, a statement from Mais yesterday signed by the sultan’s private secretary Mohamad Munir Bani clarified that the ruler had only advised Khalid to include Abdul Majid in the meeting with DUMC leaders in addition to Tamyes.

Awkward situation

Despite the awkward situation resulting from the sultan’s objection to being credited with the idea of the council, Khalid in his statement said the state government will comply with all advice and decree "received directly" from the sultan.

He also said he will continue to work with all parties to ensure the best solution is arrived at to resolve the issue.
 
The controversy surrounding the Aug 3 raid by Jais has put the government into difficulties, particularly as it gets caught between detractors accusing his administration of religious intolerance, on the one hand, and those urging him to back the operation by Jais’ enforcement team.

Khalid has since issued a gag order on the matter and maintained a relative silence despite receiving brickbats over the issue, including from Christian groups and BN leaders.

Christian leaders and NGOs have accused Jais of carrying out an unlawful raid on DUMC premises, while BN leaders chastised the state government for the perceived failure to control a state body under its administration.

Jais, however, has denied that its “inspection” of the dinner organised by welfare NGO Harapan Komuniti at the DUMC was a raid, and pointed out that its officials had questioned those Muslims then present only after the dinner had concluded.

There were reports, said Jais, that there were efforts during the dinner to promote apostasy from Islam.