Tuesday November 3, 2009
Najib puzzled by Asri’s arrest
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has questioned the motive behind former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin’s arrest Sunday night.
He said Dr Asri’s speeches were always backed by proof and clear dalil (quaranic and Hadith verses).
“I don’t know what is the motive behind the arrest,” he said. “It was done by the state religious agency. It has nothing to do with the Federal Government.
“I know of people who deliver all sorts of talks but they are not prosecuted, but when it comes to Dr Asri, he was arrested,” he told reporters after launching a Pasar Tani convention at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.
Najib was commenting on Dr Asri’s arrest by the Selangor Reli- gious Affairs Department (Jais) for allegedly preaching the Wahabi doctrine to supporters in an unauthorised lecture. He was later released on a police bond without being charged.
The Wahabi sect, which was founded by Muhammad ibni Abd al-Wahhab, an 18th century scholar, is prescribed as a puritanical form of Islam.
Earlier last month, the Syarie Lawyers Association of Malaysia had submitted a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong protesting a proposal to appoint Dr Asri as Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) president.
The memorandum, signed by association president Mohamad Isa Abd Ralip, was backed by 11 religious organisations.
It also claimed that Dr Asri’s teachings had created an uproar among Muslims in the country and accused the former Perlis mufti of degrading religious scholars such as Imam Nawawi and Imam Ghazali.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin posted in his blog www.rembau.net.my that the situation behind Dr Asri’s arrest was murky and raised a lot of questions.
“Among others, if it is true that (Dr) Asri was arrested because he gave a lecture, why didn’t Jais take action when he gave his ceramah (speeches), shared his opinions, and commented on his blog and in his columns for local newspapers,” he wrote.
Khairy said Dr Asri should be accorded fair treatment as he had cooperated with the religious enforcement body when he was arrested without a warrant yesterday morning.
He said this should not be a selective arrest as a result of provocations from parties that were unhappy with Dr Asri.
Related Stories:
Controversy follows ex-mufti
Asri issued with notice to be questioned by Jais later
Intrigue over former mufti
MPs slam arrest of former Perlis mufti
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