ISSUES concerning the aims of the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has been explained in detail to the G25 group, said Fuziah Salleh.

The deputy minister in the prime minister’s department said a meeting with the G25 took place during the early formation of the Islamic Affairs Highest Committee (Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Hal Ehwal Islam) by the Pakatan Harapan government around July 2018.

She added that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa and herself had met G25 representatives again about two months ago on the same matter.

“We met them and answered all their questions, but they continuously hung on to their views, even though the matters raised had been discussed.

“Actually, there are no issues in the matters they raised. I think the G25 must better understand the setting up of Jakim… there are many mistakes in perception, which must be tackled, and we have tried to explain them,” she said.

Fuziah, who is also Kuantan MP, said this after giving out mandarin oranges to visitors at a shopping centre in Kuantan today.

She said joint cooperations must be empowered for G25 to understand the issues through different  perspectives.

Yesterday at a forum, the G25 had said that the setting up of Jakim and the Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI) were not in line with the constitution, and that there were no legal provisions for the agencies to be set up at the national level.

Fuziah, meanwhile, reiterated PH’s commitment to defend the constitution, as well as Islam as the official religion of the federation, other than introducing the concept of rahmatan lil alamin (mercy to all creations) in maintaining harmony among the multi-religious and multiracial populace in Malaysia. – Bernama, January 12, 2020.