KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Criticism against the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) for allegedly spreading extremism via Friday sermons for Muslims is unwarranted and irresponsible, said a federal minister.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom stressed that the government agency is tasked with guiding Muslims towards the path of Islam in its sermons, which are published on Jakim’s website every Friday.

“I would like to clarify that sermons are one of the pillars of Friday prayers… it has never encouraged extremism or violence in any form,” Jamil was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

“On the contrary, it (the sermons) encourage and promote goodwill among the public and guide Muslims toward the practice Islamic teachings,” he told the Malay daily.

Jamil Khir was responding to comments by civil liberties lawyer Eric Paulsen over Twitter claiming that Jakim was encouraging extremism.

On Friday, Paulsen tweeted that “Jakim is promoting extremism every Friday. Govt needs to address that if serious about extremism in Malaysia”.

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar posted on Twitter a picture of Paulsen with screen capture of the latter’s tweet that was branded with the word “Biadap” (rude) in bold, red letters.

This was followed by another image of Kampar MP Ko Chung Sen with a text bubble saying: “Abolish the Islamic civilisation subject. This is our right. I pay taxes”.

Khalid stated that comments by Paulsen and Ko warranted investigations under the Sedition Act 1948 and instructed the police to act on the duo.

Ko and Paulsen will be the latest to come under a sedition dragnet that was launched last year ahead of the government’s reversal on previous pledges to repeal the law that critics contend is being used to stifle dissent.

Jakim director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha has also lodged a police report and a complaint against Paulsen with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over the same tweet.