A Muslim lawyers’ group is protesting Canadian author Irshad Manji’s programme in Kuala Lumpur on account of her “liberal” Muslim position, and wants her out of the country.

Manji has attracted some controversy over a Malay translation of her latest book ‘Allah, Liberty and Love’ to be launched in Kuala Lumpur.

The launch was to take place last week but was postponed due to protests from Islamist groups.

NONE Persatuan Peguam Peguam Muslim Malaysia (PPMM) president Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar (left) in a statement today said PPMM “objected to Irshad Manji’s programme” scheduled for this week.

“PPMM urges the government not to allow her to continue with her programme and have her leave Malaysia immediately, as it can be a cancer to Islamic practices in Malaysia,” Zainul Rijal said.

He added that several groups have lodged police reports over the matter, and also urged the ulama to come up with “rebuttals to counter” the ideas the author allegedly propagates.

He wanted the authorities to give serious attention to what he claimed was an advocacy of personal freedom that he alleged ignored “moral values”.

Muslimah reject imported 'confusion'

Meanwhile another pressure group Persatuan Persaudaraan Muslimah Malaysia (Salimah) said they vehemently objected to the arrival of one who they said “insulted Islam with her writings and attitude” that allegedly “denigrated the views of venerated scholars”.

NONE “Inviting someone like her is surely an effort to challenge the sensitivities of the Muslim community in this country,” said the group’s chief Aminah Zakaria in a statement.

She said her group rejected Irshad’s presence charging that it would “raise confusion and incite anger” of the Muslim community.

Manji is the author of the international best seller ‘The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith’, as well as produced an Emmy-nominated PBS film, ‘Faith Without Fear’.

Her work mostly challenges accepted notions in Islam, in the belief that education and the freedom to think is paramount and not the indoctrination she believed is commonly practised in most religious teachings.