KUALA LUMPUR: The Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) did not discuss any proposal to abolish the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) in its meeting today, Federal Territories Mufti Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said.
He said his 90-minute meeting with the CEP was merely on the interpretation of Quranic verses and the hadith in regards to the current state of society and Malaysia.
“No, (there was no discussion about Jakim). In fact, I hold to what Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) said, that the issue is not about abolishing (Jakim) but to look at its role and how to update or empower it,” he told reporters after the meeting in Menara Ilham.
The prime minister had said last month that a group of religious and non-religious scholars would be gathered to discuss Jakim’s future.
He had said that the move was to decide if Jakim’s role should be maintained as it is now or be returned to its original purpose, adding that whatever the decision, the government would ensure that the department did not portray Islam as cruel and inconsiderate.
Dr Mahathir had been reported as saying that some Malaysian Muslims tended to impose certain rulings when in fact these were not Islamic teachings.
These rulings, though actually not Islamic, gave the perception that Islam was a religion that had extremely strict practices.