The Malaysian Islamic Organisations Consultative Council (Mapim) said the investigations are necessary to ensure G25 did not breach any laws when touching on the position of Islam in the country.

Mapim president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid accused G25 of trying to polemise the issue of Islam and the jurisdiction of Islamic agencies.

“We are of the opinion that G25 clearly wants to undo the status of Islam and Islamic agencies.

“The government must defend the position of Islam and the development of the religion in the country,” he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, G25 alleged that the establishment of the National Council for Islamic Affairs (NCIA) and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) is unconstitutional.

The NCIA was instituted to be the highest national authority for the coordination of Islamic administrative matters. Jakim serves as its secretariat.

In their report on the “Administration of Matters Pertaining to Islam”, G25 also spoke out against apostasy laws, saying a Muslim’s decision to leave Islam is between that person and God.

Azmi said G25 was getting involved in a very sensitive and dangerous topic when it came to apostasy laws, adding that this could confuse and incite the anger of Muslims.

“G25 does not have the right to question the existence, jurisdiction and roles given to agencies like Jakim because it is embodied in the meaning and concept of Islam as the religion of the federation.”