SHAH ALAM, Feb 9 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) rejected today claims that Perkasa was “extreme”, after Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad urged state religious authorities to investigate the Malay rights group last month.
According to Mais chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib Isa, the authorities are ready to investigate any organisations deemed “extremists”, but added that there were no reports lodged against Perkasa so far.
“It does not [matter] whether it is Perkasa or other groups, if there are issues touching on matters faith, there has to be an investigation.
“To me, I do not really see how Perkasa is an extremist group,” Mohamad Adzib told reporters in a Selangor Zakat Board press conference.
Mohamad Adzib also urged the public to lodge a report against Perkasa if they consider the group's actions to be “extremist”.
Last month, Khalid claimed that Perkasa, who had joined a protest againt the Datum Jelatek project in Keramat here, were acting against the teachings of Islam and must be scrutinised by the Selangor religious department, council and fatwa committee.
“I urge them, reveal and explain based on reason and arguments why their actions are rejected by Islam. If they are right, say that they are right. If they are wrong, say they are wrong,” Khalid said.
Fearing their Malay-majority neighbourhood may soon be overrun by Chinese, a group of residents in Taman Keramat marched to the construction site of upscale condominium project Datum Jelatek and violently tore down its cladding last month.
The group had warned of “bloodshed” last November if the luxury condo project, which sits on the former site of four blocks of Selangor State Development Corporation flats owned mostly by Malays, goes ahead.
However, a group of 15 Malay residents from Taman Keramat stepped up the next to condemn the protest against the construction of a luxury condominium in their neighbourhood, even claiming that most of those who participated were “strangers”.
