Jakim censures anti-cross protesters

They should have respected the law and Malaysia's religious diversity, says the department's chief.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has denounced the Taman Medan residents who protested against a church in their neighbourhood on Sunday.

Jakim Director Othman Mustapha, speaking to reporters today, said the protesters should have shown respect for Malaysia’s religious diversity and should have followed the law in registering whatever unhappiness they had with the church.

“They should have gone back to the rules and gone through the proper channels,” he said.

The 50-odd demonstrators said they were upset at the sight of a cross in the midst of their predominantly Muslim community. The cross was stuck to an outside wall of the shophouse that served as the church.

Othman would not speak further on the issue, saying the matter was under the jurisdiction of the local council.

The Jakim chief also gave a brief comment on a proposal by the Federal Territories Mufti that a mechanism be found to save zakat-paying Muslims from being doubly taxed now that the Goods and Services (GST) has come into effect.

Othman said Jakim would consider Mufti Zulkifli Mohamad’s suggestion only after the government had finished monitoring the effects of the new tax.

Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said recently that the Customs Department had set a period of six months for the GST implementation to stabilise.

Othman said he respected Zulkifli’s view but pointed out that the National Fatwa Council had decreed that Muslims must pay the GST.