A letter addressed to a mosque in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, demanding that the loudspeaker volume be lowered during azan (call to) prayers as it disturbs the residents in the area is a fake.

Penang executive councillor in charge of Islamic Affairs Abdul Malik Kassim said his department has yet to receive a copy of the letter, allegedly sent by one Ivan Goh En Tat of Lorong Bintang 2, Tanjung Bungah.

Malik is not aware of any mosque in the locality that could possibly be the subject of the complaint by this person, who he said lodged a police report at the Northeast District police headquarters on Jalan Pattani this morning.

He said the person, Goh, also claimed he suspected that the letter, which also carried a mugshot of him and his address, was sent by a disgruntled former employee.

Malik was also informed that the Bukit Bendera Umno division has lodged a report asking the police to investigate the matter.

The letter uses the ‘f’ word to denounce Islam and the ‘loud’ azan prayers and states the writer is not afraid to be attacked for his claims.

It also states that a complaint letter would be sent to the Penang Island City Council to demolish the mosque as it is “illegal to disturb people” and it is against Malaysian law.

The letter appears suspicious as no one in his or her right mind would place a photo of himself on a letter that can be deemed highly insulting to the religion of Islam.

This is especially so when more than 100 individuals - opposition politicians, social activists, students, academicians, preachers and journalists have either been questioned, arrested or charged under the Sedition Act for making various remarks.

The Sedition Act (Amendments) Bill 2015, which was passed by Parliament last week, introduces among others a new section that makes it easier for the police to arrest those attempting to promote ill-will, hostility or hatred towards race or religion.

As for the loudspeakers in mosques disturbing residents in an area, Malik ( right ) said the level of volume was “very subjective”.

“Don’t you think it is subjective, whether a volume is high or low in pitch? It also depends on the distance of a resident’s house from the mosque and what’s coming from the loudspeaker, whether it is azan (the Muslim call to prayer) or some other matter,” he added.