The Federal Territories PAS Youth has lambasted Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for allowing the complaint over the azan (Muslim call to prayer) that sparked protests today.

They have questioned why the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) had bent over backwards to cater to the complainant’s whim and fancy, asking if the latter’s stature as an MCA member had anything to do with it.

NONE “We understand that Pantai Dalam is full of Muslim-Malays. Every day and every year, the surrounding residents have never had a problem with the azan from the mosque.

“So why suddenly, over a complaint by an MCA member, Jawi suddenly springs into action to order the azan to be softened?” asked deputy leader Mohamad Suhaimi Abdul Aziz in a statement this evening.

It was previously reported that a non-Muslim lawyer had complained to several federal government agencies last year, over the volume of the azan at Masjid Al-Ikhlasiah in Kampung Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur.

Last December, Jawi finally spoke to the mosque committee who agreed to lower the volume of the azan.

NONE However, the move has annoyed some Muslim residents in the area, culminating in an angry protest today after Friday prayers that went as far as exposing the complainant’s personal details in the banners.

The FT PAS Youth said they were “disappointed” with Najib for lacking firmness in protecting the tenets of Islam.

Mohamad Suhaimi called the instruction to lower the azan’s volume an insult to Islam.

“We want to remind the PM that this instruction will drag down the name of Islam and Muslims. What if every complaint is hurled at mosques to lower their azan or even cancel it?

“Will the prime minister or Jawi bow to the requests then?” he asked.

Nurul Izzah: What are guidelines?

Meanwhile Pantai Dalam’s MP Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai) called for calm until a clearer picture of the complaint process emerges.

pkr congress 281110 nurul izzah anwar She also questioned if the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim)’s instruction to Jawi were based on national guidelines.

“Who was the one who lodged the complaint, and is the letter examined thoroughly for a clearer picture?

“And if it is true that the letter was sent to the prime minister, the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Raja Nong Chik, Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom, Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and Koh Tsu Koon, and the PM’s religious advisor Abdullah Mat Zain, what were their responses?” she asked.

“Those who had protested earlier should be asking those people who had received the complaint what their responses were,” she said.

Till answers were forthcoming, Nurul Izzah (above) called for calm in the pursuit of the truth behind the matter.

“The truth should be sought in a a civilised manner. Moderation and harmony should be preserved,” she said.