Zamihan has been at the heart of a brewing controversy over a security briefing he recently gave which purportedly linked Asri and other high-profile personalities such as former Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to Wahhabism and Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).
According to his presentation notes made available to The Malaysian Insider, Zamihan (picture) claimed that terrorist activities involving JI have its roots in Wahhabism.
Wahhabism, known locally as Sunnah Perlis, advocates purging Islam of practices that did not exist during the time of Prophet Muhammad.
During the briefing Zamihan had described the unconventional interpretation of Islamic laws by the Wahhabis as the cause of terrorist activities.
He cited a book by Asri, the former Perlis mufti who is being courted to join Umno — “Bid’ah Hassanah: Istilah yang disalahfahami” (Innovation: The misunderstood term) — to prove his point.
Zamihan said that while the book did not encourage terrorist activities, Asri’s opposition to certain Islamic rituals widely practised by local Muslims could potentially lead to extremism.
“Anyone who propagates hardline views, non-mainstream interpretation, that is the manifestation of extremism, because it will lead to forcing others to accept the views,” said Zamihan.
“He is not linked to JI, but he likes to give harsh views,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
Zamihan dismissed the suggestion that his criticism against Wahhabism was a result of his personal disagreement with Asri.
“I am a government officer, invited by the Higher Education Ministry, by Bukit Aman to do my job,” said Zamihan, who has been engaged by the Home Ministry since 2007 to rehabilitate alleged JI members under ISA detention.
He was earlier accused of linking Islamic missionary group JIM, Perlis mufti Dr Juanda Jaya, former Perlis Mentri Besar Shahidan and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to terrorist activities during the briefing.
Zamihan dismissed the accusation, describing it as an attempt to belittle his counterterrorism work.
He also claimed that the Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah did not object to his presentation on Wahhabism and terrorist activities during the controversial security briefing.
The assistant director of the government’s Islamic training institute, ILIM, told The Malaysian Insider that Saifuddin only approached him after the end of the meeting.
“After my presentation when the minister asked those present if they have anything to ask, there was complete silence,” said Zamihan.
“During the break somebody approached me outside the room and angrily told me, ‘ustaz, I do not agree with your presentation’,” he added.
Zamihan said he only found out later that the man who approached him was Saifuddin.
“Why was he angry with me? Why was he so emotional? If there was any disagreement he should have spoken up during the meeting,” he told The Malaysian Insider in an interview yesterday.
“I told him that was my view which was backed with evidence. You can have your views, but we can always discuss any disagreement,” said Zamihan.
Incidentally Saifuddin had told Parliament yesterday that the government was not going on a “witch hunt” to punish individuals who followed the Wahhabi school of thought.
The security briefing was also attended by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar, Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and more than 100 senior officials from public universities.
It was held following reports of an alleged JI recruitment drive in local universities.
Early this year, police arrested 10 men, claiming they were members of JI and were allegedly plotting to blow up non-Muslim houses of worship.
All of them have been deported, except a Malaysian, who has been placed under restricted residence in Petaling Jaya
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