Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria has rubbished allegations that he was being paid to demonise those protesting prike hikes who had demonstrated on New Year’s Eve.

"I do not care about certain groups who accuse me of receiving money to criticise them ... In Islam, it is not good that we are suspicious of others,” he was quoted as saying in a Berita Harian report today.

"I just said anyone who gathers with the intention of toppling the government, they can be considered as 'Bughah'.

"Those groups claimed they want the prices of goods to be reduced, but their initial intention was to topple the government. When there was no support, they said it was to reduce the price of goods.”

According to the Islamic Development Department, ‘bughah’ refers to people who rebel against a just government.

Harussani had reportedly said : "All the protesters should be arrested for being traitors to the government and accordingly in Islam, bloodshed is permitted on the ‘bughah’ (protesters).”

Protest organisers had denied claims that the intention was to topple the government as has been alleged, as well as mocked the authorities after the protest went on peacefully with at least 10,000 people turning up.

The demonstration, aimed at protesting a series of price hikes initiated by the government, was organised by several NGOs including Turun, Solidariti Mahsiswa Malaysia, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia and Jingga 13.