Jakim never banned any festival, Mujahid says after Ponggal uproar

Mohd Farhan Darwis Mohd Farhan Darwis Updated 6 years ago · Published on 15 Jan 2020 4:39PM · 5 Comments

Islamic Affairs Minister Mujahid Yusuf Rawa stresses that Jakim has never banned any community’s festivals. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, January 15, 2020.

THE Islamic Development Department (Jakim) does not stop non-Muslims from celebrating their festivals but Muslims attending them must observe some rules consistent with their faith, said Mujahid Yusuf Rawa.

The minister in charge of Islamic Affairs said Jakim had written a letter to the Education Ministry outlining the protocols to be observed by Muslisms when attending the Ponggal celebrations.
 
“I want to stress that Jakim has never banned anyone’s festival. But there are procedures for Muslims attending these events to observe.

“In the letter to the Education Ministry, we (Jakim) only stated what Muslims should do at the event,” he told reporters after a Finance Ministry programme to disburse allocations to religious schools today.

Earlier today Jakim said it is up to the Education Department to decide whether Ponggal may be celebrated in school, after an outcry was raised over an official circular on the festival.

Jakim said in a statement that it had merely given its opinion on Ponggal when the ministry asked for it.

“The decision on the issue is the respective ministry’s. Jakim only gave an opinion from the point of view of the involvement of Muslims and did not forbid the celebration,” it said.

“In fact, Jakim’s shariah panel believes that it is recommended for Muslims to wish their friends and neighbours who celebrate the festival without (need to) acknowledge their religion.

“(After all) Muslims also should not insult the gods of other religions.”

In a circular dated January 13 that was issued to the state education department directors ahead of the festival today, the ministry said it is “haram” (forbidden) for Muslims to participate in Ponggal as it is celebrated by Hindus.

The circular was signed by ministry deputy director-general Adzman Talib, who said the decision was based on advice from Jakim.

The circular was received with outrage by ministers M. Kula Segaran and Gobind Singh Deo, who said Ponggal was not a religious festival.

Hindu groups and academics also issued statements saying Ponggal was not religious in nature but a harvest festival.

Before Jakim’s statement today, the Education Ministry had said the original circular was to alleviate Muslim parents’ anxiety over the celebration in school and not to prevent the event from being celebrated in school.

“The ministry is aware that schools are places to foster unity among the country’s multiracial pupils.

“The culture and traditions among the various races has to be learnt and appreciated by everyone, including the school administration, teachers and pupils,” the ministry said today. – January 15, 2020.

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Comments

  • Mujahid why don't you step down and let Jakim be abolished? The way it is dictating how one should behave when attending an ethnic cultural event smacks of the Ayatollah and the morality police. The way the circular was written insults the intelligence of Malay Muslims who have had enough of your brainwashing.

    Posted 6 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • The deputy director-general Should take full responsibility for this uproar. He should be removed from this position and be given another position where he doesnt get to decide on such issues.

    Posted 6 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • Pre-60s, we did not have any such issue. The situation was much more harmonious then.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • When something has been declared non-religious, why bring in unnecessary religious factors and norms into it? It is poking your nose into areas that do not concern you. What is the biggest threat to Islam? Corruption. What is Jakim doing to fight this curse among Muslims?

    Posted 6 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

  • Jakim protected by an idiot minister

    Posted 6 years ago by Kinetica Cho · Reply