The government has rejected a proposal for the appointment of a grand mufti as such a move will infringe certain provisions of the federal constitution.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the provisions of the constitution only provides for the Malay rulers to determine on Islamic matters.

"I feel it's difficult given that matters pertaining to Islam are under the purview of the respective Malay rulers," Bernama quoted Najib as saying today.

"In my view, the proposal cannot be implemented given the existing provisions of the constitution," added Najib.

He was responding to a proposal by the director-general of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) Dr Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas that a newly appointed grand mufti would be able to explain issues on Islam to the Muslim community more effectively.

He said the objective was to protect the religion from being distorted by irresponsible quarters.

"With a grand mufti, religious issues will no longer be debated openly in the media because it can be discussed behind closed doors among qualified mufti," he told mStar , The Star 's Bahasa Malaysia news portal, in an interview on Wednesday.

Dr Syed Ali said Ikim would organise a seminar next year to propose methodologies and provisions relating to the proposed appointment of a grand mufti.

Just leave it to us

However the idea was immediately rejected by the Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria as he was worried this will destroy the power of the rulers in matters related to Islam.

Harussani also said Dr Syed Ali's view that the absence of a rightful authoritative figure to explain issues relating to Islam had led to the differences in opinions among religious scholars and muftis in the country at present was inaccurate.

"People like (Dr) Syed Ali. He has no power and authority, but he wants to talk about religion.

"Muftis have been appointed by the government and sultans. They have the right to talk about religion," Harussani was quoted as saying in The Star yesterday.