SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Affairs Department has temporarily suspended the religious teaching credentials of five candidates contesting in the Aug 1 Negri Sembilan state election and three others.
The temporary suspension will be in place throughout the duration of the state polls.
This was stated by department director, Datuk Mohd Asri Abdullah, in a letter dated July 20, addressed to mosque and surau committees in the state.
In the letter, he said the state Mufti Department has decided that all teaching activities and religious lectures by religious teaching credential holders involving politicians or candidates in the state polls are temporarily suspended.
This, Asri said, was in line with the decree of Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
He said the suspension, which took effect from July 18, will remain in place until further notice.
Asri said the temporary suspension was to protect the sanctity of religious institutions, maintain community harmony, and prevent mosques, surau, and any religious teaching premises from being used as mediums that could create a perception of bias toward any political party or contesting candidate.
The five candidates whose names were listed in the letter are the political secretary to the Negri Sembilan caretaker Mentri Besar Nor Azman Mohamad (PH-Sikamat); Serting incumbent Mohd Fairuz Mohd Isa (Perikatan Nasional), Aminuddin's press secretary Ahmad Shahir Mohd Shah (Pakatan-Paroi), Bagan Pinang incumbent Abdul Fatah Zakaria (Perikatan) and Mohd Umry Abdul Khois (Pakatan-Pertang).
Others include Senator Jufitri Joha, Datuk Jaafar Muhammad and Muhammad Aqil Irfan Razali.
