Jakim in a brief statement said the article by Nurul Haq Shahrir “does not in any way represent the views of Jakim”.
“Every media statement representing Jakim’s stand and policies must first get official approval from Jakim’s top management.
“It is unbecoming and irresponsible to link Jakim in the report,” the department said referring to a report quoting Nurul published by FMT yesterday.
Jakim also claimed Nurul had never been appointed by it to evaluate Islamic publications, as reported.
When contacted, Nurul, who is now on a special panel for Islamic law transformation under the government’s Islamic propagation council Majlis Dakwah Negara, confirmed his appointment by Jakim in 2010, with the task to review and report to it on Islamic publications.
Two appointment letters by Jakim sighted by FMT are dated October 2010 and July 2013.
Nurul however agreed that his views were his own and that he did not speak on behalf of any organisations he worked with past or present.
“FMT too has never claimed that the article represented Jakim,” he said.
He also expressed regret over the “polemics” generated on social media following the publication of the article criticising the plan by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to amend the law to allow heavier penalties on Muslim offenders.
In his analysis titled, “Hadi’s bill: A violation of the shariah”, Nurul argued it from an alternative viewpoint, questioning PAS’s claim that the bill was in line with the teachings of Islam.
“In fact, it is against Islam and has nothing to do with the shariah,” wrote Nurul, who is trained in Islamic jurisprudence and comparative religion.
Nurul said his explanation was a “counter-narrative” to the private member’s bill tabled by Hadi, with scholarly arguments to pre-empt backclash from critics. He said the article must be read and understood within the said context.
“It was a ‘Devil’s Advocate’ paper to evaluate the weaknesses of the bill from the Maqasid al-Shariah (higher objectives of law) perspective, so it can be improvised using the best solution.
“I’m not against strengthening the shariah courts, far be it for me to oppose God’s laws,” he said, adding that his article was not perfect and could have missed the discussion on harmonising Islamic jurisprudence in the Malaysian legal system.
He hoped his clarification “would put an end to the polemics”, saying the present rift “brings no advantage to Muslims”.
Hadi’s bill was first tabled in May last year and was tabled again in November.
It seeks to increase maximum penalties for shariah offences to 30 years’ jail, a fine of RM100,000 and 100 strokes of the cane.
The bill has also received the support of several senior Umno leaders.
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