Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor has issued an edict exonerating and absolving the Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) from any wrong-doing in the fiasco involving its enforcement personnel in their controversial raid on a private party held on the premises of the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya.

In his royal statement issued to the media on Monday 10 October 2011, the sultan justified the Jais enforcement action on the ground that "Based on the investigations by Jais, there is evidence that there were attempts to subvert the faith and belief of Muslims but that the evidence obtained would be insufficient for further legal actions to be taken."

The sultan has also announced in his statement that "after carefully deliberating the report by Jais, and after obtaining advice from religious authorities and legal experts, we are in agreement that there would be no prosecution against any parties."

The sultan said that he was "gravely concerned and extremely offended by the attempts of certain parties to weaken the faith and belief of Muslims in the state of Selangor."

Hence, he commanded the Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (Mais) and Jais to continue to "always conduct thorough observations and to take necessary actions without hesitation in line with the jurisdiction allowed under the law."

In the context of the Malaysian political reality, when a royal edict is issued, especially on matters involving the Malay race and Islam, all discussion, debate, and dispute on such issues will cease at once, particularly in the public domain, and no mainstream media (MSM) will dare publish any view or opinion opposing or challenging such royal a decision. It is a fait accompli when the royal pronouncement is made.

Be that as it may be, there are certain quarters, especially the alleged aggrieved party in the controversial fiasco, who will feel they had been humiliated and maltreated in the inequilateral circumstances.

Certainly, they will feel a deep sense of being betrayed by their own beloved ruler when they perceive the decision is unfair, unjust, and unwarranted, and bordering on the violation of their fundamental constitutional, civil and human rights as loyal and patriotic subjects.

With due respect to the Sultan of Selangor, I respect and accept the pragmatic fact of his absolute discretion and decision on the Jais-DUMC controversy, and will be prepared to consider the matter closed.

However, I firmly believe that the unilateral Jais enforcement action without an official search warrant on the DUMC was certainly not appropriate, but surely appalling and apprehensive, especially when the victims concerned are generally peace-loving members of a church.

Perhaps a positive good lesson could be learned the Jais-DUMC fiasco, so that there will be no repeat in future of such unseemly improper and irregular enforcement action.

I think the main reason the Jais-DUMC fiasco happened is because of what I would consider as an immature and impulsive action on the part of some overzealous and enthusiastic Jais officers, flexing their muscles as little Napoleons.

Personally, I do not think the sultan was consulted or informed of the DUMC raid prior to it. Even Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim was in the dark, until after the incident was reported in the media.

The basic lesson which all and sundry in the government administration and the civil service can learn from the Jais-DUMC fiasco is the indisputable matters of competence, accountability and transparency (CAT), so vital in the fair, just, and equal in the administration of a people-centric government based on the universal democratic principle of the people, for the people, by the people.

I salute HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for his wise edict to resolve the Jais-DUMC fiasco, without the need for a witch-hunt for some scapegoats to bear full responsibility. As a Christian, I would accept HRH the Sultan's decision in good faith, and forgive the enthusiastic Jais officers who raided the DUMC without notice and without a warrant. I believe my friend Pastor Dr Daniel Ho of the DUMC, who is a leader par excellence in the Malaysian Christian community, will endorse and support my stand.

May God bestow abundant blessings on our nation and people, our rulers and our leaders from both sides of the political divide.