KULIM: Police have received a report about a sermon at a Padang Serai mosque that allegedly discussed the issue of granting citizenship to Chinese nationals.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the matter, seen as an abuse of the sermon platform and tarnishing the institution of the mosque, will be investigated by the Bukit Aman 3R (royalty, religion and race) Special Task Force.
"I received the complaint on Friday that in a mosque in the Padang Serai parliamentary constituency, the sermon touched on, among other things, the granting of citizenship to over one million Chinese nationals," he said.
"Even though I have explained... it was denied by the former home ministers Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, and even though the facts have been corrected and explanations given, the slander continues to escalate and the most unfortunate part is when the institution of the mosque is turned into a stage."
He said this after officiating the Home Ministry’s meet and greet event at Sekolah Kebangsaan Ladang Dublin, Karangan, on Saturday (Nov 9).
Saifuddin said his team was upset with the matter and explained that the Friday sermon platform and the mosque should convey messages of piety, promote goodness and avoid tyranny.
Additionally, he said discussing current issues with misleading information during sermons results in slander.
Saifuddin believes the original sermon text prepared by the religious authorities did not mention the issue, but the khatib elaborated on it.
"I want to reiterate the call, the advice for mosques, especially mosque leaders, not to use the sermon platform to convey materials that are off track," he added. – Bernama
