'It's a scam,' preachers deny involvement in investment scheme

SHAH ALAM - A number of religious speakers have denied their involvement in a so-called syariah-compliant stock investment scheme that went viral on social media recently.

The poster featured pictures of famous preachers and speakers to attract the attention of the public to invest shares with the company.

Among the speakers pictured in the poster are, Associate Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Izhar Ariff Mohd Kashim, Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew or Ebit Lew, Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, Datuk Mohammad Kazim Elias and Mohamad Wadi Annuar Ayub.

Popular preacher, Mohd Izhar Ariff insisted that he was not involved in any stock investment scheme, and did not even know about the use of his picture on the poster.

"This is not the first time this has happened, I've been trying to file a police report but nothing has changed. So please be careful in believing things that are spread in social media, unless they are taken from my own social media.

"For those who use other people's identities without permission, remember what is right and what is wrong, don't scam people's hard earned money," he told Sinar today.

Recently, a stock investment poster which featured famous preachers and religious speakers went viral, the poster invited people to learn about investment and invest in stocks with low risks.

Izhar added that such schemes contradicted the teachings of Islam and was also wrong according to the laws of the country.

Meanwhile, another independent speaker, Mohamad Wadi, said that the use of his face on the poster was not authorised and without his knowledge.

"They did it without my permission and it's clearly a scam. So, I hope the public is not easily fooled by the offer given by the company.

"It is illegal to use other people's pictures for the wrong purposes," he explained.

According to controversial preacher, Ebit Lew, the poster is a fraud.

"This is a scam, I did not know my picture was used in the poster," he said.