IT is understandable why some non-Muslims are questioning why the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) had to apologise for the controversy arising from the visit of its dakwah (preaching) course participants to a Hindu temple in the federal capital on July 30.
The issue went viral following a 6.32-minute YouTube video clip by Tamil-language Makkal Osai TV showing the visit of a JAIPk delegation to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kampung Kasipillay, Kuala Lumpur.
JAIPk had since clarified in a statement today that the video was related to a private visit organised by the Global Unity Network (UNITY) (in collaboration with JAIPk) involving 32 selected participants from across Perak.
The said participants were attending five dakwah courses under the department aimed at enhancing their understanding of dakwah activities with the visit being one of the modules in the course.
It said the visit was part of the course content to train and boost the confidence of participants in doing dakwah, particularly to correct many misperceptions about Islam, including those arising from Islamophobia.
“However, the visit became controversial when a newspaper published a video clip of a statement by one of the female participants (which drew similarity between Islam and Hinduism), causing misunderstandings and sparking heated debates on social media,” read the statement.
After having clarified that the woman was not a staff member of the department as alleged but a voluntary participant in the course, JAIPk apologised to all parties, especially Muslims, for the controversy which had led to both misunderstandings and having tarnished the reputation of the state government and religious authorities.
Meanwhile, UNITY in a separate statement said the programme was a guided visit conducted for JAIPk religious teachers which was an important initiative to foster awareness, understanding and unity among various religions in the country.
It further stated that it has abided by the guidelines set by the Federal Territories Mufti Office and the Perlis State Mufti Department in guiding the participants.
“The programme aims to strengthen the relationship between communities and ensure peace and harmony in living together in Malaysia by respecting each other’s customs and taboos,” clarified the NGO’s chief operations officer Zain Hussin Aljoofre.
“The programme has been run by National Maulidur Rasul Figure 2012 award recipient Shah Kirit Kakulal Govindji and the UNITY team for more than 20 years which reflects Malaysia’s commitment to harmony and social unity.”
Even Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has voiced support for the joint JAIPk-UNITY initiative while urging Muslims to disregard “accusations hurled by certain parties with malicious intent to disrupt the harmony and efforts to foster unity among Malaysians”.
“The PM’s Department (Religious Affairs) has been informed there is no involvement in the practice of religious ceremonies throughout the Guided Harmony Tour,” justified Na’im.
“It is not a programme open to the public except for participants who have been trained in the field of preaching and religious comparison.” – Aug 3, 2024
Main image credit: Makkal Osai TV/YouTube
