The monuments in the shape of the Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak administration's ‘1Malaysia’ logo in Perlis has elements of idolatrous worship, said Minister in the Prime Minister Department Jamil Khir Baharom today.

NONE The government, therefore, agrees with the fatwa (edict) by the Perlis Fatwa Council that it is haram (forbidden) to build such structures, said Jamil Khir ( right ).

“We agree with the views given by the mufti, that there are elements of worship, (so) we will not erect them,” he told reporters today after visiting the Surau An-Najah community prayer hall in Kuala Lumpur.

Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya had earlier said the state fatwa council was of the opinion that such structures may contain elements of pemujaan ansab (idol-veneration).

According to Juanda, the advice was based on Quranic injunctions against idolatry as well as wastage of resources.

The fatwa has been publicised through state publications, including MAIP's organ Irsyad Hukum , he said.

NONE The 1Malaysia campaign, the brainchild of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, calls for national unity and has become the centrepiece of his administration.

Since he took office in April 2009, the 1Malaysia logo has appeared in many, if not most, government publicity materials. It is also frequently used on commercial resources.

The edict was issued after the council met in April and was approved by the Perlis Islamic Council (MAIP).

'Let Allah judge'

On another matter, Jamil Khir dismissed criticisms by Islamist opposition party PAS against those religious leaders who had kept mum on the issue of the sex video scandal by which BN has implicated Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

NONE Jamil Khir, who is the minister in charge of Islamic religious affairs, said the statements by PAS figures to that effect was merely a “political perception”.

PAS delegates to its muktamar (general assembly) over the weekend had blamed Umno for the wide distribution of the sex video purported to depict Anwar in a sexual tryst with a sex worker.

Since it is merely the leaders of the opposition party’s “political perception”, no one should be “punished” or judged as being “syaitan bisu” (silent devils).

“When we say syaitan (bisu), I think it is a term in common used by PAS (figures)... I think it is best we keep to the ethics (and) moral values of Islam, because in Islam, only God issues such a judgment,” said Jamil Khir.

“I don’t see it (reserving one’s judgement on the matter) as being the syaitan... That is for Allah (to punish),” he added.