The officer of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) said the sultan’s move however had not dampened his spirit and sense of struggle for the religion, and had in fact strengthened his faith in Islam.
“A champion for truth need not be scared and in fear of uncertainties that take place.
“He should also not be worried about his life being threatened because he is fighting his cause for the hereafter,” Zamihan was quoted as saying in Watan-Online today.
He also said he accepted the decision of the sultan to remove his credentials as that was the ruler’s right, but added that Islam allowed for every ruler to be criticised and advised.
In a statement earlier today, the Selangor palace said besides Zamihan’s credentials being revoked, he had also been removed from the state’s council to vet religious preachers.
Describing Zamihan’s speech on Oct 7 at a mosque in Shah Alam as “racist” and saying that it “lacked manners”, the statement said he had also gone overboard in criticising the royal institution in a mosque with royal status.
The ruler had also announced two new measures: that all religious talks in mosques and suraus in Selangor be recorded, and the sound from religious lectures, other than for the azan (call to prayer) and Quranic recitation, be limited to within the vicinity of the mosque.
“This prohibition is to protect the image of Islam that gives importance to the well-being of the general community,” the statement added.
Zamihan had during the lecture at Masjid Diraja Tengku Ampuan Jemaah in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, criticised Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor over the ruler’s ultimatum to a laundrette in Muar to end its “Muslim-only” policy.
Defending the policy, Zamihan also made derogatory remarks about the hygiene of Chinese Malaysians.
The Persatuan Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah (Aswaja) president was subsequently arrested for sedition before being released on Saturday.
On Oct 14, Sultan Ibrahim castigated him, calling him “an empty tin can without any brains”.
The Sultan said Zamihan’s style of speaking was vain and conceited “as though only he was right and could deride other cultures.”
Sultan revokes Zamihan’s permit, orders mosques to lower speech volume