In a rather surprising move today, Malay rights group Perkasa has reached out to the Penang government in order to work together on Malay- and Islam-related issues.

 

About six members of the group - led by state Perkasa Youth chief Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin - were in Komtar today and met with the state executive councillor on Islamic affairs, Abdul Malik Kassim, for about 10 minutes.

 

They had been seeking clarification over the contents of an anonymous blog which claimed that the Penang government was contemplating a ban on Friday sermons.

 

Mohd Rizuad ( right in photo ) later said that cooperation between the two quarters was possible if both parties agreed to it.

 

Describing the situation as a "transformation", Mohd Rizuad expressed hope that the state government would agree to work with the NGO.

 

Mohd Rizuad was acting on the proposal by Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali on Sunday, who had asked the members to work with everyone for the betterment of Muslims and Malays.

 

On the supposed banning of Friday sermons in Penang, the state government had vehemently denied the allegations, while a police report was lodged over the matter yesterday.

 

"Such writings are the work of those who are mad ( gila ), and those who believed them are mad too," Abdul Malik said.

 

"Even communist countries did not do such things," he added.

 

Abdul Malik urged the police to investigate the case and act sternly against the author of the blog, adding that the Pakatan government in Penang has strengthened Islam when it took over the state in 2008.