KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Religious scholar Dr Ulil Abshar Abdalla is trying to dictate Malaysia’s practice of Islam, Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamil Khir Baharom claimed today after Putrajaya refused to let the Indonesian into the country to join a scheduled talk on combatting the jihadist threat.
As international spotlight falls on Malaysia’s questionable freedom of speech record, the de facto minister on Islamic affairs argued that Ulil was trying to sway Malaysian Muslims from their Sunni teachings with his “liberal” ideas of Islam.
“Here in Malaysia, we hold to the Sunni teaching. [Then] others come in, and restrict us from the Sunni teaching. One man cannot come in to obstruct the faith of the whole government,” Jamil Khir told reporters here, referring to Ulil.
The minister said that even in Indonesia, the authorities had stopped Ulil from spreading his ideas, and stressed that Malaysia likewise should do the same.
“Jakim and Jawi have ordered for him to not be allowed in,” he said, referring to the nation’s foremost Islamic authority and the Federal Territories Islamic department by their Malay acronyms.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday that Ulil was banned to protect Malaysia’s brand of Islam.
The founder of the Indonesian Liberal Islam Network is scheduled to speak at a conference here about combating the growing threat of Islamic State (IS), organised by local Muslim group, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF).
According to state news agency Bernama, the minister said the entry ban on the Indonesian will remain until he is no longer found to be a danger to Islam.
Ulil is regarded as a liberal Islamic scholar whose views are controversial among Islamic conservatives.
Last week, the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) director Paimuzi Yahya said the IRF-organised talk would be banned, claiming Ulil lacks the credentials to spread Islamic teachings in the Federal Territories.
