TERENGGANU’s religious authorities are waiting for a report before acting against PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who reportedly defied a ban and gave his weekly Friday sermon at Masjid Rusila in Marang, Terengganu, today.

Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maidam) chairman Shaikh Harun Shaikh Ismail said the council will consider further action after the report is received.

“We’ll see what the report looks like first, we have to wait (for the report),” he told The Malaysian Insight.

He refused to comment further on the action that can be taken against the PAS president.

Hadi reportedly continued his weekly sermon this morning after Maidam banned politicians, including parliamentarians, from doing so.

Maidam’s ban on politicians from delivering religious talks at surau and mosques was issued on March 2. The ban excludes politicians who are accredited by Maidam.

The decision was to implement the order of Terengganu’s Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, who said he was saddened by certain politicians who used houses of worship to deliver political speeches.

Hadi last week stated that he will continue to deliver religious lectures at the mosque. 

He said the practice is not a crime, and that politics cannot be separated from religion. 

“We will continue lectures as usual. We have to realise that we cannot separate politics and religion when even the prophet talked about politics in his sermons. 

“We talk about Islam and Islam has its politics, Islamic politics requires us to speak out against things that are not right, we have to speak out, whether it is politics or economics,” Hadi said.

A Malaysiakini report said Hadi’s name was not listed as a recipient of a certificate to teach religion in Terengganu.

The report was based on information on the Public Sector Open Data Portal, last updated on March 4, 2021.

Terengganu PAS commissioner Husain Awang was reported to have suggested the party’s politicians apply for credentials from Maidam before teaching or delivering sermons at mosques.

Hussain said several politicians, including representatives from PAS, have already applied for credentials. – March 10, 2023.