The Penang mufti was recommended and approved by former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, state executive councillor Abdul Malik Kassim said today.

According to him, Anwar also often advised him on the appointment of the president and members of the Penang Islamic Council (MAIPP), and issues of Islamic affairs. 

“There is no interference by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng,” Malik said at a press conference today.

His remarks comes following an ultimatum by the chief minister to Berita Harian and New Straits Times to apologise within 48 hours for running state PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden's claim that Lim had interfered in the appointment of the state mufti.

Afnan had claimed that Lim had a hand in ensuring that former state mufti Hassan Ahmad’s contract was not renewed.

PAS had also claimed that the state executive council chaired by Lim had interfered in the issuance of fatwa in the state, by ordering the decrees to be submitted to the exco meeting first before being presented to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. 

This claim however, has been denied by the current Penang mufti Wan Salim Mohd Noor. 

“The Penang government does not wish to continue the baseless polemic.

“As an ustaz (religious teacher), Afnan should not make such allegations, although it is targeted at a non-Muslim leader, Allah does not permit,” Malik said, adding that Afnan's statement regarding Lim were slanderous and malicious in nature.

Contract non-renewal nothing to do with fatwa

Malik also denied Afnan's claim that Hassan's contract was not renewed because the former mufti had objected to Lim's orders that non-Muslims in Penang be allowed to use the word "Allah", in Dec 2014. 

He said the fatwa on Allah, and 39 other words, was gazetted by the state government on April 29, 2010, when Hassan was still the mufti. 

"Wan Salim replaced Hassan on June 7, 2014, four years after the fatwa was gazetted. 

"In the four years, Hassan's contract was renewed annually."