A second police report was lodged today against Takaful Malaysia's religious department head for issuing an internal circular forbidding staff from extending Deepavali greetings to Hindus.

Lawyer and DAP leader A Sivanesan lodged the report at the Brickfields police station this afternoon.

Last Friday, the Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS) lodged a similar report against Takaful Malaysia's syariah department head Mohd Fauzi Mustaffar.

In his report, Sivanesan said he was "disturbed and distressed" by Mohd Fauzi's circular.

"The circular can cause racial tensions. He must be investigated for sedition," he said in the report. A copy of the report was made available to malaysiakini.

Sivanesan has also sent a letter to Takaful Malaysia's chief executive officer Md Azmi Abu Bakar seeking a meeting.

"We have been told that we can meet him tomorrow afternoon," he said.

He said the purpose of the meeting was to ask Takaful to retract the circular and to push for a disciplinary action to be taken against Mohd Fauzi if he had acted on his own in releasing the offending circular.

Malaysian Hindu Sangam's police report also complained that remarks in the internal circular, sent to all Takaful Malaysia staff via email, was seditious and created "inter-religious ill-feeling" that could cause disharmony.

Just a reminder

In the circular, Mohd Fauzi said because Hindu festivals involved the worship of deities, expressing greetings was akin to practising polytheism and against the tenets of Islam.

"Takaful Malaysia's corporate culture that is rooted in the syariah totally forbids greetings involving the gods of Hindu clients or of other religions," he said in his email.

"Muslims who have inadvertently wished Hindus Happy Deepavali, Happy Durga Pooja or Happy Lakhshmi Pooja must immediately repent and not repeat it in future," he added.

Takaful Malaysia responded by saying the circular was only to remind its staff to be 'cautious' when they attend Deepavali celebrations.

It also posted a statement on its website reiterating that the email was sent out "for the purpose of internal circulation and as an advice or an opinion for our staff only".

The company however added that the contents and views expressed in the email were not its official stand.

Happy Deepavali from Takaful

Takaful Malaysia also apologised "for any confusion that may have arisen from the misinterpretation of the said email".

It posted a second statement yesterday, again reiterating that circular doesn't represent its official view. It also wished all Malaysians of Hindu faith a very Happy Deepavali.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Abdullah Md Zin had said earlier the circular represented Mohd Fauzi's personal view, but added that it was a narrow interpretation of Islam.

Last week, the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) also called for Mohd Fauzi's sacking.

DAP had also urged Takaful Malaysia to retract the circular and apologise to all Hindus in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria - who is head of the National Mufti Council - said that Muslims are permitted to extend greetings to those of other faiths in conjunction with their respective festivities.

However, he said that Muslims are prohibited from mixing Islamic celebrations with those of other faiths, such as Deepa Raya and Kongsi Raya.