Royal order: Sultan Sharafuddin (centre) attending the ceremony to present appointment letters to 850 mosque nazir and imam at the Balairong Seri, Istana Alam Shah in Klang. — Bernama
KLANG: Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has warned that mosque and surau leaders must not be directly involved in party politics, saying such involvement can create discord within their institutions.
In a royal address while presenting appointment letters to 850 mosque nazir and imam at Istana Alam Shah yesterday, the Sultan also forbade politicians from using surau or mosques for politics.
“Politicians are not allowed to hide behind religious sermons and use surau and mosques for their own political agendas,” said the Sultan.
The Ruler said nazir and committee members are also barred from holding political positions when appointed, as this could undermine harmony among the congregation.
“This includes not holding any political positions when being appointed as nazir and imam of mosques and surau as this can affect the harmony in the respective congregations,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
The Ruler reminded mosque and surau officials and imam that their appointments were not political positions to be used for personal gain but instead a trust bestowed upon them.
Hence, added the Ruler, he did not want to receive any complaints related to the contest for the post of nazir and committee members in mosques and surau.
“The contest for positions will only cause dissatisfaction, hostility and division among the members of the congregation in particular, and Muslims in general.
“I do not want the Malays to be divided just because of the madness for positions and greed for power which will ultimately harm the Malay race itself,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
The Ruler also condemned slander and the spread of accusations, particularly on social media, adding that such conduct contradicts Islamic teachings and damages unity.
His Royal Highness urged that false news, distorted facts or exaggerated matters not be tolerated, adding that such actions can spark community conflict.
The Ruler also reminded mosque imam and nazir to be wary of their conduct at all times, as they were representatives of the institutions they represented.
“Take care of the good name of the mosque and surau and avoid any action that can tarnish the dignity and trust of the community,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
On another matter, the Ruler reminded mosque and surau committees to manage their finances with full responsibility, transparency and integrity.
“I will not tolerate any form of embezzlement of mosque and surau funds. Mosque money comes from public contributions and belongs to Muslims,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
The Sultan also said all mosques and surau must be managed in accordance with the rules and procedures set by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais).
“Financial reports must be submitted to Jais or Mais every four months as prescribed to ensure governance, accountability and public trust are always maintained,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
