The minister in charge of Islamic affairs added that he is still in fine-tuning the details with his Cabinet colleague, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, but the religious policing unit will be on the road soon.
“I am discussing with Zahid for a committee for this syariah thing,” Jamil Khir told reporters, referring to the home minister.
“We very much welcome it so there will be a group which can focus on actions in syariah, and we try to form it as soon as possible to help out religious departments in carrying out their tasks.”
Pointing to Article 9 of the Federal Constitution, Jamil Khir said the religious affairs are under the jurisdiction of each state, and that the federal government was only facilitate the programme.
“We are only helping to administer it at the federal level... We cannot interfere with the rights and jurisdiction of the states,” he said.
Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry is weighing proposals to form a special police unit to contain the spread of the banned Shiah school of Islam here.
Among the proposals will be to embed police officers within the Malaysian Islamic Advancement Affairs Department (Jakim) as part of an “enforcement team”, which could allow such squads vastly broadened powers to arrests those deemed in breach of Islamic laws.
The home minister was also reported to have said that the police already have a religious department, but would require Cabinet approval for a formal co-operation with Jakim.
On Thursday, Ahmad Zahid explained that the clampdown against the Shiah sect was meant to prevent the ideological turmoil in the Middle East from spreading to Malaysia.
He pointed to how Iraq has been torn apart by religious divisions, noting that this was because it is home to followers of two major Islamic sects — the Sunnis and the Shiahs.
Putrajaya has in recent months stepped up its campaign against Shiah teachings and followers in Malaysia, but this has been accompanied by suspicions that the action was politically motivated.
Ahmad Zahid had appeared to reinforce the view during the Umno General Assembly last week, when he ordered local religious authorities to act against “the number two in PAS” for alleged ties to the Shiah movement.
While it was widely believed the home minister was referring to PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu, this was not confirmed until Thursday, when the Home Ministry presented the “proof” that led the minister to arrive at the conclusion.
This ministry listed 10 points it claimed proved Mohamad was a Shi’ite, including the popular PAS speaker’s purported admiration for the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and an allegation by one Dr Abdul Aziz Hanafi that the Penang-born had once recited a Shiah prayer.
Mohamad has categorised the allegations as “lies” and said he will consult his lawyers over the possible defamation.
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