Red shirts to rally in Penang over controversial mosque loudspeaker ban?

© Provided by The Malay Mail OnlineScreengrab shows a poster promoting the ‘Himpunan Merah Pulau Pinang’ event that has been shared through WhatsApp.GEORGE TOWN, Oct 1 — Rumours have started circulating online that there will be a “red rally” outside the Penang government administrative headquarters in Komtar tomorrow, a day after Persatuan Mukabuku Pulau Pinang posted a leaked a proposal from the state mufti’s office to ban the use of loudspeakers in mosques and surau other than for the azan.

Titled “Himpunan Merah Pulau Pinang” or the Red Rally in Penang in English, the demonstration seeks to pressure the DAP-led state government into withdraw the ban, even though officials have clarified the state did not make the decision.

A poster promoting the event has been shared through popular smartphone texting platform, WhatsApp as well as making the rounds on Facebook, but the source and the organiser of the rally remains unknown.

When contacted, Penang Perkasa Youth Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin denied any knowledge of the supposed rally.

Mohd Rizuad, who is also a member of Persatuan Mukabuku Pulau Pinang, had previously led demonstrations against the Penang government on issues concerning Malay and Muslim rights. He was a leading figure in the “Allah” demonstration last year.

“We are not organizing any demonstrations tomorrow on this, I won’t be there,” he toldMalay Mail Online.

Other local Malay groups are planning to hand over a memorandum to the Penang government and the state mufti’s office.

In a text message sent to all media, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) Pulau Pinang) said they will be gathered at Komtar at 11am to hand a memorandum to the state government and the mufti on the ban.

A copy of minutes of a meeting from the mufti’s office was reported by state news agency Bernama to have been leaked onto the Internet yesterday, and and this was followed by criticisms against the state government for the proposed ban.

State religious affairs committee chairman Datuk Abdul Malik Kassim has denied the state government’s involvement in this whole issue, stressing that the minutes were of decisions made by the state fatwa committee.

The Penang Mufti has also clarified that it was a proposal and not gazetted or presented for approval by the state executive council yet.

Northeast district police chief ACP Mior Farid Alathrash Wahid said there was no permit for the red shirt rally in Komtar tomorrow.

“We will take appropriate action,” he said.