‘Hands-off' message for Hasan?

Has outspoken Selangor state exco Hasan Ali come under attack by Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais)?

A Bernama report yesterday said the council has drawn up guidelines as to who can issue public statements on Islamic matters in the state.

This comes more than a month after Hasan ( below, left ), who is also Selangor PAS commissioner, gave authority letters to mosque officials to assist the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) in enforcing the Selangor Syariah Crimes Enactment 1995.

Mais chairperson Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa said all public statements on issues involving religious administration in the state and all directives to religious officers can only be issued by himself, the Mais secretary or the Jais director.

"Any other person wishing to issue such statements must first get the approval of the Mais chairperson," he said in the statement.

Mohamad Adzib said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor had consented to the guideline.

Five authorities have jurisdiction over Islamic religious administration in the state - the sultan, Mais, Mufti's Department, Syariah courts and Jais.

Summoned by the sultan

Asked to comment today, Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim ( below ) said Mais has the right to issue any statement regarding Islamic administration in the state.

"But Hasan, as the exco in charge of Islamic affairs, can still give his views," he told reporters in Shah Alam today.

Hasan chairs the Selangor Islamic Affairs, Malay Culture, Infrastructure and Public Amenities committee.

He had previously said that only four officials of each mosque were given the authority letters two weeks ago - the Nazir, Imam, Bilal and Siak.

They cannot arrest offenders but can only take down particulars and the case items, and pass these to the religious enforcement officers for action.

Early this month, Hasan was summoned by the sultan, but has never divulged what transpired during the meeting.

Khalid said the decision to allow mosque officials to arrest Muslims consuming alcohol "could have been raised".

'What disciplinary action?'

On a separate matter, Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad said the party liaison committee meeting last Sunday did not discuss any disciplinary action against Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad ( below ).

A Star report yesterday claimed that the party management committee (Dewan Harian) wants Khalid to answer to the disciplinary committee for allegedly telling Hasan to resign last Saturday. (Khalid has since clarified that he had not many any such call.)

State liaison committee secretary Khairuddin Othman was quoted as saying that the committee was studying the statements made by Khalid "that could tarnish the party's image".

Iskandar, however, said that he is not aware of any such proposal.

"I don't know anything about it...but such decision can only be made at the federal level," he said.

Hasan had drawn much flak from his Pakatan Rakyat colleagues when he criticised the Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency public inquiry in probing district officers over alleged misuse of state funds by elected representatives.