COMMUNICATION and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil is under police investigation for his speech in a mosque in Rawang on Sunday. 

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said the minister is being probed under section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. 

“We have obtained a recording of the speech in the mosque and will examine it for further investigation. 

“We will provide feedback and development updates on the case soon,” Hussein was quoted as saying by Harian Metro. 

On Sunday, photographs of Fahmi, who is the Lembah Pantai lawmaker, addressing a small gathering in a mosque in Kuang, Selangor, were uploaded to a Facebook page linked to PAS.

Fahmi said he had visited the mosque to perform his noon prayers.

Yesterday, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais), after receiving complaints about Fahmi’s speech, also launched an investigation into the politician under Selangor shariah criminal enactment for insulting religious authorities.

The Muslim authority had recently instructed mosques and surau to bar all forms of political activity on their premises.

In a statement, Jais director Shahzihan Ahmad said the Rawang mosque administrator would be summoned to give a statement.  

It has been reported that Fahmi is considering filing a defamation suit against those who had “slandered his alleged political speech” in the Rawang mosque.  

“My speech wasn’t about political issues or anything regarding the state elections as I was only invited by the mosque congregants to speak about the banning of The 1975 band and the cancellation of the Good Vibes Festival,” he was quoted as saying.  

Fahmi said he was ready to cooperate with Jais in its investigation. – August 1, 2023.