Jakim rejects debate with Paulsen

The time is not right because the police probe is ongoing, says the department's chief.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has rejected the proposal for it to debate with human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen.

Jakim Director-General Othman Mustapha said the time was not right because the police had yet to complete the investigation on Paulsen, who is suspected to have violated the Sedition Act in a Twitter message that allegedly accused Jakim of promoting extremism through Friday sermons.

“He should not use a debate to undermine the investigation,” Rakyat Post quoted Othman as saying. “Solve this in court first.”

However, it was not Paulsen who proposed the debate. The proposal came from Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Paulsen has agreed to it.

“Debates are good although they are rarely welcomed by government agencies,” Paulsen said.

The controversial tweet has been deleted after it was widely criticised. Paulsen was arrested four days after the message appeared, but has since been released.