Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir has been urged to brush up on his knowledge of Islam before making comments pertaining to religious matters.

"Holding a candle is part of the Malaysian culture and not religious in nature as assumed by Zambry," said PAS Gunung Semanggol assemblyperson Ramli Tusin.

nizar appeal to federal court 190609 01 Ramli - who works in the Bagan Serai district Religious Department - accused Zambry of not knowing the principles of Islam.

"And yet he is criticising our Perak PAS deputy commissioner Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin ( left ) for holding a candle," he told Malaysiakini today.

"Holding a candle has no religious significance and is just a culture among Malaysians to show support for democracy or to pay respect to those who have died," he added.

Last Friday, Nizar together with other Pakatan leaders had participated in a candlelight vigil in memory of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

Zambry took a dig at Nizar's candlelight vigil and called on the PAS ulama (religious scholars) to issue a fatwa (edict) on this issue.

Nizar is a religious scholar

Commenting further, Ramli said Nizar is a religious scholar who was under the tutelage of PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

zambry abdul kadir interview 200409 09 "Zambry is not religiously inclined but is only trying to politicise the issue for political mileage and is covering up his own political shortcomings by highlighting trivial issues to divert attention," he added.

Citing an example, Ramli said Nik Aziz had once visited a non-Muslim religious function and some people had stated that it was ' haram ' (forbidden) for a Muslim to do so.

Nik Aziz had replied that visiting other religious functions is a form of Malaysian culture and has nothing to do with religion.

Meanwhile, DAP state secretary Nga Kor Ming also took a swipe at Zambry for playing racial politics and making unwarranted comments.

"A 30 year-old man (Teoh) died under mysterious circumstances and Zambry without even showing a bit of remorse is playing politics," he said.

"We want Zambry to apologise to Teoh's family and to the public for his outburst," he added.

Teoh was said to have fallen to his death last Thursday from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, Selangor, which houses the state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office.

Prior to his death, Teoh - who was a political aide to a Pakatan Selangor exco - was quizzed by the MACC in relation to corruption charges against his boss.