PUTRAJAYA, June 24 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said today the Home Ministry is currently investigating reports that several high-profile personalities are involved with the terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).
The minister in charge of Islamic affairs said the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) will also conduct its own investigation into the allegations.
“This matter is being studied by the Home Ministry and we at Jakim will monitor the situation and will prepare a full report. I want to see if it is true as has been alleged, and I need more information to get a better picture. Jakim will get complete information from what has been said in the media,” he told reporters at Jakim’s headquarters here.
It was reported that the deputy director of the Islamic training institute ILIM, Zamihan Mat Zin, had at a briefing for government officials accused former Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin and current mufti Dr Juanda Jaya of supporting Wahhabism and JI.
Both Shahidan and Asri have rejected the allegation and questioned Zamihan’s credibility.
The Najib administration has also denied going on a “witch hunt” to punish individuals who followed the Wahhabi school of thought in Islam, with a deputy minister saying it appeared to be the personal agenda of a government cleric against others.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah also said the government had not linked the followers to terrorism.
Jamil (picture) stressed that the public should not make any assumptions before the facts are clear.
“The government’s stand is that we reject JI and terrorism but the association of JI with certain groups needs further investigation. I feel that the police have their own information so I hope that the public will not label certain individuals unless they get reliable information from the Home Ministry,” he said.
However, Zamihan has maintained his allegation that Wahhabi teachings have contributed to terrorist activities, in a repeat of what he said in the controversial security briefing recently.
The ILIM deputy director, however, denied naming the four.
“My presentation was focused on extremism in public institutions of higher learning. I did not mention their names, I did not accuse Jemmah Islah Malaysia (JIM) of involvement in terrorist activities.
“But I did say terrorism is a result of extreme teachings of Wahhabism. If they are not involved they should not have over-reacted,” Zamihan told The Malaysian Insider.
Wahhabism, known locally as Sunnah Perlis, advocates purging Islam of practices that did not exist during the time of Prophet Muhammad.
