KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) said today it approved a pet-a-dog event without foreseeing the possibility that some Muslims may have been moved to touch dogs at the now notorious gathering on Sunday.
According to the council, the organisers had instead deviated from their proposed objective to enlighten and educate Muslims on the position of dogs in the faith.
“The acts of deliberately touching, hugging and kissing dogs by Muslims like what happened on that day was regrettable, because they were against the Islamic codes,” Mais’ chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa said in a statement.
“This was also not as previously illustrated by the organisers, and it did not meet the objectives of the programme as mentioned in the organisers’ application letter.”
Mohamad Adzi said he received the application letter and had himself discussed the event with one of the organisers before submitting the required papers to the mufti.
The “I Want to Touch a Dog” event organised by Syed Azmi Alhabshi on Sunday was held at the Central Park in Bandar Utama, Selangor. It drew nearly 200 volunteers and dog owners and gave Malay Muslims the opportunity to pet canines, an animal that many in the community regard as culturally taboo.
The Selangor chapter of right-wing group Perkasa also lamented the ease with which “gullible” Malay Muslims joined the event, arguing that there may have been a hidden agenda to persuade Muslims to commit acts prohibited by the faith.
