PETALING JAYA: Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has come to the defence of religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar over the guidelines on Muslim participation in non-Muslim festivities and funerals.
Khairy believed that Na’im was trying to propose a revision of guidelines that already exist but was misunderstood, describing him as a “victim of circumstance”.
“I am saddened that this issue blew up with, as usual, a lack of empathy from all sides,” he said on the latest episode of his Keluar Sekejap podcast.
“If I were (Na’im), I would have pointed out there are already guidelines issued by the national council for Islamic religious affairs’ (MKI) fatwa committee on April 12, 2005.”
Last week, Na’im said the Islamic development department (Jakim) was finalising guidelines regarding the involvement of Muslims in non-Muslim festivities and funerals, as well as events at non-Muslim houses of worship.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim later said the guidelines were unnecessary and would cause anxiety, after the issue drew backlash from civil society, non-Muslim religious leaders, and politicians.
Khairy maintained that the guidelines were just opinions, not policies or laws that people were required to abide by.
The former minister also said he was “not comfortable” with the notion that such guidelines should not exist, expressing his belief that they served a valid purpose.
”Some say there’s no need for guidelines at all and that Muslims know what to do. But is it wrong to have guidelines so it’s clear? I think this issue is about knowledge, and those of us who lack it must constantly seek it,” he said.
Co-host Shahril Hamdan, the former Umno information chief, argued that certain quarters may push for, or assume, that the guidelines were official government policy, and act accordingly.
This is where the bureaucratisation of religion becomes a slippery slope, he said.
“When it becomes policy, then that is encroachment to the point where the government tells you what you can do, what you cannot do, where you can be, where you cannot be,” he said.
