GEORGE TOWN, April 16 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng threatened today to sue Utusan Malaysia over a column in the Umno-linked daily that accused him of having control over wakaf land in the state.
Labeling the claims as malicious and slanderous, Lim said he will instruct his lawyers to issue legal letters to the Malay-language broadsheet and also to the columnist, Zulkifli Jalil.
“We can expect more of these malicious slander from the Barisan Nasional media now especially with Permatang Pauh by-election near,” Lim said at a press conference at his office today.
In Zulkifli’s column titled “Pengundi di atas bandar jadi penentu?” (Urban voters are now the kingmakers?) that was published on April 10, he had claimed that wakaf land in the state is now placed under the chief minister’s purview and that all proposed developments on those lands require the chief minister’s approval.
Penang Islamic Religious Council (Maipp) chairman Datuk Mohd Salleh Man refuted the allegations in the Utusan column, pointing to Section 89 of the Administration of Religion of Islam (Penang) Enactment 2004 which states that Maipp is the sole trustee for all wakaf land in the state.
“All proposals pertaining to wakaf land is decided by the Maipp board after receiving suggestions from the committee and the chief minister is not in this committee,” Mohd Salleh said at a joint press conference with Lim.
Under the Administration of Religion of Islam (Penang) Enactment 2004, Maipp will be assisted by a committee known as the asset, land affairs and development committee chaired by Mohd Salleh.
The committee is made up of several members including state executive councillor for religious affairs, Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim.
Mohd Salleh also stressed that Lim had not interfered in any of the board’s decisions regarding wakaf land.
Wakaf is a dedication of properties, be it land or buildings, by a Muslim through a will or otherwise.
The development of wakaf land is under the jurisdiction of the National Endowment Foundation and Jawhar.
