KULIM, Nov 9 — The police have received a report in relation to a 'khatib' (a person who delivers the sermon) in Padang Serai, who allegedly discussed the issue of granting citizenship to Chinese nationals while delivering a sermon during Friday prayers yesterday.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this can be considered as abusing the sermon platform and tarnishing the institution of the mosque, and which will be investigated by the Bukit Aman 3R (royalty, religion, and race) Special Task Force.
“I received the complaint early yesterday (Friday) that in a mosque in the Padang Serai parliamentary constituency where the Friday sermon touched on, among other things, the granting of citizenship to over one million Chinese nationals," he said.
“Even though I have explained…it was denied by the former home ministers Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, and even though the facts have been corrected and explanations are given, the slander continues to escalate and the most unfortunate part is when the institution of the mosque is turned into a stage," he said.
Saifuddin was speaking to the press after officiating the Home Ministry’s meet and greet event at SK Ladang Dublin, Karangan today.
He added that the ministry is upset with the matter and that the Friday sermon platform as well as the institution of the mosque should play a role in conveying messages of piety, promoting goodness, and avoiding tyranny.
When the Friday sermon platform is used to discuss current issues with misleading information, it simultaneously becomes slander.
Saifuddin said he believes the original text of the sermon prepared by the religious authorities did not touch on the issue, but the khatib took it upon himself to elaborate on the matter.
"I want to reiterate the call, the advice for mosques, especially mosque leaders, not to allow the khatib, especially during Friday prayers, to use the sermon platform to convey materials that are far off track," he said.
— Bernama
