Mujahid: Badar Squad should go meet Kedah exco, not me

De facto Religious Affairs Minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa (photo) is not willing to meet private anti-vice group Badar Squad.

When met at the Parliament lobby, Mujahid said religious enforcement in Kedah does not fall under the federal government’s jurisdiction.

As such, he urged the vigilante group to meet the Kedah state executive councillor in charge of religious affairs instead of meeting him.

"They can go and meet the state (exco) and discuss," he said.

However, Mujahid disagreed that a private entity should be empowered to carry out religious enforcement, as it will create a lot of problems.

While he noted Badar Squad's intention was good, the minister said the group must understand the process of the law.

"We leave it to the state's enforcement authority (to see if there is a need) to improve on the enforcement," he said. 

Badar Squad had expressed its intention to help fight immoral practices among the Malays and Muslims in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

The anti-vice group denied Mujahid's statement that its activities in Sungai Petani would create havoc.

Badar Squad founder and chairperson Azhar Mohamad had earlier expressed his readiness to meet with the minister and police for guidance on the laws and their authority. 

The group came into the spotlight in November 2018 after Azhar claimed that they had been conducting raids at budget hotels around Kedah the past two years.

In April, he and six others were fined RM1,000 each after pleading guilty to joining an illegal organisation, because the original Badar Squad was not registered with the ROS.

Last week, Azhar announced a nationwide comeback by the end of this month, citing fears that immoral activities have allegedly become worse under the Pakatan Harapan administration. 

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