Jakim to place cadre officer at MCMC to monitor postings on deviant teachings

PUTRAJAYA - The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) will place a cadre officer, or Islamic Religious Affairs officer, at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), to help the commission monitor any posting related to deviant teachings on social media.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said that the placement of the cadre officer will be carried out in the near future, once his ministry identified suitable personnel for the job.

"Thus far Jakim has no religious officer at MCMC. Hence, I asked Jakim to place a cadre officer as a reference expert.

"When there is a posting related to deviant teachings which will certainly go viral, I hope the cadre officer can take swift action,” he said. He said that the placement of a cadre officer at MCMC is an effort to prevent posts related to such teachings from going viral.

He said that the move was taken following several viral videos on social media recently, involving several individuals who claimed to be followers of the deviant teachings of Suhaini Muhammad or SiHulk.

Mohd Na'im said this at a press conference after receiving a courtesy visit from the Grand Mufti of India and the founder of Jamia Markaz, Kerala, India, Al-Allamah Sheikh Abu Bakar Ahmad Al-Malibari and advisor to the President of Egypt, Sheikh Dr Usamah Sayyid Al-Azhari, at his office here today.

Mohd Na'im said that the 117th Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), which convened from Aug 25 to 29, 2020, has decided that SiHulk's teachings are misguided, and deviate from Islamic teachings based on the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

He also said that Jakim had been instructed to cooperate with the Royal Malaysia Police and MCMC to combat the spread of deviant teachings, and Jakim would also channel information about SiHulk's activities to the state Islamic Religious Departments for enforcement action.

On the courtesy call, Mohd Na’im said that one of the essences of the discussion was related to efforts to strengthen relations between Malaysia, India and Egypt, especially in the aspect of Islamic education.

He said both iconic figures will be the main guests at the Sahih Al-Bukhari Appreciation Seminar and the launch of the national-level Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith Council, which will be held at the Putra Mosque, here tomorrow (July 22).

On July 18, Syeikh Abu Bakar paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the latter’s office here. - BERNAMA