ISLAMIC institutions in the federal territories will remain under the Prime Minister’s Department, a reversal of an initial plan by the new federal government to place them under the Federal Territories Ministry.

The earlier plan would have affected the federal territories’ shariah courts, Islamic Council, Shariah Prosecution Department, Islamic Affairs Department, and Mufti’s Office, which are under the Prime Minister’s Department.

The idea was to let the Federal Territories Ministry manage the administrative aspects of these entities, so as to let the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic affairs focus on crafting a more inclusive and progressive policy for Islamic affairs.

The minister, Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, told The Malaysian Insight today that the five institutions will remain under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department.

“They are all under my portfolio. They are indeed under the PM’s Department.

“Act 505 states that all matters pertaining to the institutions are under the minister in charge of Islamic affairs. When the FT minister asked for them, I defended them based on the existing law,” he said, referring to the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories).

Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad had previously told The Malaysian Insight that his ministry would get wider powers and responsibilities after mosques and religious bodies in the federal territories were placed under his ministry.

The initial plan would have also allowed Mujahid’s portfolio to focus on national-level agencies, such as the Institute for Islamic Understanding, Islamic Missionaries Foundation (Yadim) and TV Al-Hijrah. – July 27, 2018.