SEPANG: A Selangor member of parliament has come on the receiving end of a royal rebuke for opposing a religious body under the purview of the palace.
Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yesterday lashed out against Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad for demanding the removal of the executive power endowed upon to the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais).
Describing the MP’s demand as ‘jahil’ (extreme ignorance), ‘biadap’ (insolent) and akin to challenging the powers of the ruler, Sultan Sharafuddin, who is also the state’s supreme head of Islam, said Khalid was ignorant of the importance of Mais’ role.
“This is not the first time Khalid has questioned issues related to Mais’ executive powers and the Selangor Islamic Religion Administration Enactment, which Khalid considers to be outdated.
“It is as if Khalid had chosen to challenge and be insolent to me, the state’s head of Islam who receives advice from Mais.
“Khalid's statement revealed that he is ignorant of Mais’ role, which under the state constitution acts as an advisor to assist the Sultan in his duties as the supreme head of Islam in Selangor,” said the Sultan in his speech at the opening of the Pekan Sepang Mosque here.
Sultan Sharafuddin also reminded Khalid that he was not “a true son of Selangor” but was given the opportunity to become an MP in Selangor.
As such, Khalid should have equipped himself with an in-depth knowledge of Selangor’s history, state constitution and the Selangor Islamic Religion Administration Enactment.
Khalid was born in Kota Baru, Kelantan in 1957.
On June 18, Khalid had demanded that the Selangor state government clip Mais of its executive powers in light of several controversial raids, including its refusal to return 321 Malay-language Bibles which contained the word “Allah” that were seized in January from the Bible Society of Malaysia.
