Minister warns of Badar Squad vigilante ‘havoc’

Ragananthini Vethasalam Ragananthini Vethasalam Updated 6 years ago · Published on 6 Jul 2019 5:56PM · 4 Comments

Minister of Religious Affairs Mujahid Yusof Rawa (right) takes a dim view of groups like Badar Squad setting up to take on moral issues. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, July 6, 2019.

VIGILANTE units taking on the functions of religious bodies will only create havoc, Minister of Religious Affairs Mujahid Yusof Rawa has said, referring to Badar Squad’s bid for recognition with the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

The group said recently that it would be pressing for registration with the RoS, as it targets young people engaged in what it sees as immoral practice.

The group has achieved notoriety for rounding up unwed Muslims suspected of committing ‘khalwat’ (close proximity) in Kedah, but has plans to go nationwide with RoS registration.

“The religious department already has policies and enforcement in place, so if there is an overlapping of functions where there are private entities (carrying out the same function), then it will create havoc,” he said on the sidelines of the Street Raya event in Kuala Lumpur today.

Azhar Mohamad, the leader of the Badar Squad, recently told The Malaysian Insight that the group had received calls to resume operations, after the authorities ordered it to stand down earlier this year.

“We have members but they still need to be registered. We will hold a ceremony to launch the new squad sometime late in July.

“We will register with the Registrar of Societies again and we are getting legal advice on the matter. We do not want to break any laws,” the 46-year-old from Sg Petani said.

In April, Azhar and six others were fined RM1,000 each after pleading guilty to joining an illegal organisation because the Badar Squad was not registered with the RoS.

Azhar said his team would be careful this time and obtain legal help to ensure the squad was properly registered.

The Malaysian Insight first reported about the squad’s vigilante actions last November but following an outcry from rights activists and politicians the squad stopped its raids.

Several of its leaders were remanded and later charged.

Azhar said the squad would resume its practice of taking unwed couples to the cemetery at night, where they would be “counselled”. – July 6, 2019.

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Comments

  • The blatant rape of basic human rights by Islamists

    Posted 6 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply

  • Vigilante squad is illegal. Please lock these mental retards up

    Posted 6 years ago by S L · Reply

  • It speaks volumes about the impotency of this Pakatan government when this bunch of hooligans in green are allowed to still roam free, without let or hindrance.

    Posted 6 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • mad freaking peeping toms in religious garb....

    Posted 6 years ago by The Lone Ranger ... · Reply