Referring to the issue of a Muslim woman who married an Indian hockey player, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said Article 160 of the Federal Constitution defines that a Malay is a person who professes the religion of Islam.

Hence, he said, one should not accuse a Malay of being an apostate based on unverified news.

The issue will soon be addressed by Johor religious authorities as it has also received the attention of the state’s Sultan, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, Zulkifli told the Dewan Negara while winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2021 today.

Earlier, the media reported that Indian hockey captain Manpreet Singh Pawar wed his Malaysian lover, Illi Najwa Saddique, in Mithapur, near Jalandhar, Punjab.

Manpreet, 28, wore a Punjabi wedding suit complete with turban, while Illi Najwa was attired in a Punjabi wedding dress when they exchanged vows. This raised questions among netizens about the woman’s religious status.

Meanwhile, Zulkifli said the government had allocated RM100 million on a one-off basis next year for the purpose of maintaining and upgrading religious and tahfiz schools.

“The allocation will be channelled to institutions registered with state authorities, including those operated by individuals or by the private sector,” he said, adding that the government would ensure Islamic education institutions in the country remain competitive and in line with mainstream education.

On the difference in SOPs implemented in mosques and suraus nationwide throughout the enforcement of the conditional movement control order, Zulkifli clarified that the SOPs were issued by the state mufti on the advice of the state’s Security Council and Health Department.

The state government has the responsibility to consider the implementation of the SOPs based on the Covid-19 situation in the state, he added.