He said the invitation extended to panel members was to discuss issues on religion in an academic manner.

The forum came to public attention after Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (“Dr Maza”) and Malaysian Ahli Sunnah Waljamaah Organisation (Aswara) president Zamihan Mat Zin accepted invitations to become panel members, with the expectation of a public debate.

The panel discussion is to be held on at 9pm on Wednesday at the Civil Defence Department hall in Kuala Lumpur.

However, Islamic affairs minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom later said it was unnecessary to hold the discussion.

In response, Shahidan said yesterday: “I want to explain here that I have never issued a statement wanting to hold a debate between them, except to hold a closed academic discussion.”

The programme had not organised to see who would win or lose, but to resolve current problems of the ummah and has been approved by the people at the top, he added.

“No one wants to come forward to solve the problems and I feel it my responsibility to do something so that the problems can be resolved through discussion, not to blame one another,” he added.

He spoke to reporters after attending Chinese New Year celebrations for the Indera Kayang state constituency.

— BERNAMA