Penang tells Umno to stop politicising sermon issue

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 21 – Penang today told Umno to stop politicising claims that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s name was mentioned in Friday sermons, saying the Malay party should just lodge reports to police and the Islamic authorities for investigations.

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman and state religious affairs executive councillor Abdul Malik Kassim however admitted that some prayer leaders had mentioned Lim’s (picture) name in the context of seeking Allah’s grace to get the chief minister convert to Islam.

However, they maintained in a joint statement that Lim’s name was never used to replace the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as claimed by the state Umno and splashed in party-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia yesterday. Another Malay daily, Sinar Harian, also carried the report by state news agency Bernama.

“Let investigations be conducted. If the allegation is true, we will not think twice take action,” they said, adding that only “insane imams” would replace Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s name with Lim’s.

Yesterday, Malik denied Penang Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s allegations that Fridays sermon in several mosques in the state had replaced the name of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin with Lim’s.

He said the state or the religious affairs department have not received or issued any directive regarding the issue.

Mansor and Malik today said “Umno’s dirty politics have tarnished the names of khatibs and imams in the state”.

“Some mosque committee members have backed Umno’s allegation by claiming that Lim’s name was indeed used in Friday sermons. However, his name was used in a different context where it was prayed that Allah would show him the right path for him [Lim] to embrace Islam,” they said.

They said the allegation was serious because it could incite anger and hatred between the different races in the state.

They added that the allegation also victimised Lim who had never gotten himself involved in the state’s religious administration.

“Lim Guan Eng was the first among all mentri besars to ban sports betting in the state. Is Umno holding a grudge against him because although he was not a Muslim, he humiliated Umno by being the first to ban sports betting which was legalised by Umno?” they asked.

Both PKR leaders also said Umno’s efforts to portray the state government as discriminating the Malays and Islam will not succeed as the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration had done more for the community than previous Barisan Nasional (BN) administrations.

They cited the doubling of allocations for Islamic affairs administration from RM12.3 million in 2008 to RM24.3 million in 2010 and contributions for the fasting month and for religious schools.

“Is BN and Umno angry that the Chief Minister is willing to attend Islamic religious events, such as the Ihya Ramadan contribution, Maulidur Rasul and organising breaking of fast events at Penang mosques which wasn’t done by previous chief ministers?” they asked.