SHAH ALAM, July 22 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has directed all mosque and surau administrators in the state to ban any form of political activities or programmes within the houses of worship, including putting up political party banners, slogans or logos.
Jais director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said campaign or political parties’ propaganda materials in any form should not be allowed in a mosque, surau or other buildings within their compounds.
“This is due to the possibility of attempts by political parties to hold their political propaganda activities in mosques and surau in Selangor.
“They used to hold programmes (in mosque and surau compounds) to announce their candidates contesting in elections, taking of oaths, members and supporters’ gatherings and other such activities,” he said in a statement today.
He said the directive has been communicated to the officers and committees of all Selangor mosques and surau in a memo dated August 22, 2022.
“This directive is in line with the Selangor Islamic Religious Council’s (Mais) resolution to maintain all mosques and surau as neutral zones, free from party politics and propaganda.
“Based on the Mosque and Surau Regulations (Selangor) 2017, all mosque and surau administrators must support any resolutions passed by Mais.
“Any actions that insult, go against, breach or dispute the decrees of the Selangor sultan or directives of Mais, can be charged under the Shariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995, and the administrators’ appointment can be revoked by Mais,” he said.
— Bernama
