Penang CM Lim Guan Eng has blasted Information Communication and Culture Rais Yatim for his remarks regarding the election of Penang mosque committees.

Lim  was responding to Rais' comments reported by Bernama yesterday, where the information minister was quoted as saying that the state government should honour the king's advice to defer the 2012/2013 mosque committee polls.

NONE Rais had said Lim ( left ) must understand that Islamic matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"However, when the mosque committee selection becomes a political matter, I guess he, (Lim) has lost his memory on this issue," he was quoted as saying in Kuala Lumpur.

The Penang's CM's response was to slam Rais for being "dishonest and irresponsible".

He said it was Rais who had lost his knowledge in matters of law.

"I just do not understand how I could lose my memory when there is nothing to remember. We (the state government) were never involved in any decisions made by the Penang Islamic Affairs Council," he told a press conference in Penang today.

"Whether it is a Hindu temple issue, Buddhist temple, or a Christian church, we are not involved in their internal decisions, we do not have our representatives there.

"I challenge Rais  to show proof that we have interfered in the decision of the mosque election," he stressed, adding that the information minister was attempting political sabotage.

Lack of memory

Lim, who is DAP national secretary general, urged Rais, a former law minister, not to display his lack of memory of the law of the country.

Last week, MAIPP had announced that election for mosque committees involving about 200 mosques in Penang would kick off yesterday.

The new system of direct election of mosque committees by members of the congregation had been severely opposed by Umno and related NGOs, which eventually prompted an order from the King on Friday to postpone the matter.

rais yatim pc 020709 01 Lim said the state government was aware that the King is the head of MAIPP, and that the state government had no role to play in its affairs.

He stressed that he is also not aware of decisions made by MAIPP, or the Hindu Endowment Board, which is currently chaired by his deputy, P Ramasamy.

"MAIPP never asked me for approval over the matter, and I only knew about it when I read it in the press...we do not have a representative there," he reiterated.

"Can Rais ( right ) show how I am involved? I read some pro-Umno tweets saying that the decision was approved by the Penang state exco. It never was. Do not racialise this issue," he added.