KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Embattled PAS leader Datuk Dr Hasan Ali joined a recent raid on drinking establishments in Mutiara Damansara and Petaling Jaya, according to The Star newspaper.
The raid, titled Ops Mungkar saw the arrest of 41 Muslims, 18 of which were caught consuming alcohol- an offence under Selangor’s syariah law.
Hasan said the Selangor Islamic department (Jais) had strong evidence and could charge the offenders under the 1995 Syariah Criminal Enactment, which provides for a jail term of up to two years and a fine of not more than RM3,000, or both.
“They will have to give their statements on January 11 and 12, before Jais fixes the dates for counselling,” said the state executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs.
Hasan (picture) however refuted claims that the Jais raid was connected to recent controversies surrounding him.
The former Selangor PAS chief has consistently backed Jais’ operations, and has supported the department’s move to strengthen the enforcement of the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment 1988 as well as the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1995.
Last month, Hasan told the Selangor Legislative Assembly that evangelical Christians are using high-tech devices such as solar-powered talking bibles to proselytise to Malay Muslims in the state.
This comes after a controversial August 3 raid by Selangor Islamic authorities (Jais) on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya, risks further strain to already tense Christian-Muslim ties.
Christian leaders have consistently denied claims that they are attempting to convert Muslims, but relations between the two creeds with roots in the Middle East continue to smoulder in multi-religious, multi-cultural Malaysia where the religion of the federation is Islam as stated in the Federal Constitution.
Hasan has also appeared to be at odds with his own party and Pakatan Rakyat colleagues and has criticised PAS for its switch of an Islamic state agenda to “negara berkebajikan.”
