DAP today has alleged that Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia is once again spreading lies and slander about the Maulidur Rasul (Prophet Muhammad’s birthday) procession in Penang which is scheduled to be held next year.

The party's Bukit Bendera Youth assistant secretary, Shakir Ameer Mohideen, today denounced the report - which claimed that the state government will soon be curbing the Maulidur Rasul celebration - as lies and fitnah (false accusations) to tarnish the government's reputation in the eyes of Muslims.

“The procession will go on despite what has been reported (by Utusan). This year, the procession was held at Padang Kota Lama to Dewan Sri Pinang. For next year, the procession will begin at Kepala Batas from Vision Park to the Abdullah Fahim mosque. Besides that, there are other programmes lined up for the benefit of Muslims as well.

“The statement made by state Islamic Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairperson Abdul Malik Abul Kassim (right) of wanting to revive the celebration in Penang is a positive move, as it is to ensure that it is not only procession but other activities are held,” said Shakir in a statement today.

Utusan Malaysia today questioned whether the Maulidur Rasul procession will go on next year, after it quoted Abdul Malik as saying that there will be “an improvement” to this year's programme, with tazkirah (religious talks), solat sunat dhuha (mid-morning prayers), selawat and berzanji, and will instead be dropping the procession event, which has been the practice in the state for the past 20 years.

It is noted that the very same report by Utusan said the procession would be consisting of 55 contingents from various government agencies.

The procession is not a religious obligation for Muslims and is only a cultural practice.

Increase in allocations for Islamic affairs

According to Shakir, since Pakatan Rakyat took over the Penang administration there has been an increase in allocation by 300 percent on Islamic affairs, as compared to BN.

“BN merely allocates RM25 million, but since 2009 the allocation for Islamic affairs has increased to RM35.78 million in 2009, RM37.85 million (2010), RM63.21 million (2011), RM64.03 million (2012), RM54.55 million (2013) and RM51.17 million (2014),” he noted.

The DAP Youth leader said allocations are given to state religious schools - unlike previous BN-led administrations - where each school would receive between RM1.5 to RM1.75 million every year.

He stressed that allocations were also being given to religious school teachers and individuals who memorised the Quran, something which BN has also never done before.

Mosques in the state, Shakir noted, received allocations without any discrimination regardless if they are under BN or Pakatan constituencies.

“The Penang government allocates 3.5 acres of prime land in George Town valued at RM100 million to build and improve the Syariah Court,” he added.

Shakir said it is a sad truth that news are hidden by Utusan as they chose to spread false reports.

He urges Malays and Muslims to be wary of Utusan's reporting and it is worth noting that it had already been twice been reprimanded following civil suits filed by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.