Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said his ministry would refer the matter about the preachers – Malaysian Haslin Baharim, and grand mufti of Zimbabwe Ismail Menk – to the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) first.
“We will refer to Jakim for guidance,” he said when contacted.
Singapore’s ministry of home affairs (MHA), in a statement yesterday, said it had rejected the duo’s application for a miscellaneous work pass to preach there. Both were scheduled to participate in a religiously-themed cruise from the island republic next month.
The statement said Ismail had been known to preach segregationist and divisive teachings, citing his claim that it was a sin and a crime for a Muslim to wish a non-Muslim “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Deepavali”, as an example.
Haslin, meanwhile, is alleged to have expressed views that promote disharmony between Muslims and non-Muslims whom he is said to have described as “deviant”.
Such statements are not a rarity in Malaysia. Jakim officer Zamihan Mat Zin came under fire earlier this month for labelling Christians as infidels, and Malaysian Chinese as unclean.
In 2014, Malay rights group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) stirred up controversy by saying that the Malays should not wish Christians “Merry Christmas” and celebrate along with them.
Asked if the home ministry, like its counterpart in Singapore, would look into measures that could minimise the issuance of “divisive speeches” in order to protect the country’s unity, Nur Jazlan said: “We seek Jakim’s guidance when it comes to deviant Muslim personalities.
“That’s the procedure. But we will take action through the police and the immigration if they commit acts that are contrary to peace and harmony in the country.
“If they are allowed into the country in the first place.”
Prime Minister Najib Razak, in March this year, posted on his blog a picture of him and Ismail together. In the blog post titled, “Islam: A Conversation with Mufti Menk”, he thanked Ismail for being “gracious enough” to pay him a visit to discuss Islam, extremism, and the plight and welfare of Muslims around the world.
“Muslims, particularly those in the Western countries, have been affected by discriminatory immigration policies and Islamophobia.
“They no longer feel welcome in a growing number of countries, including in places they have called home for a long time,” Najib had written.