KUALA LUMPUR: The Malay Rulers have given their consent to the formation of a high-level panel on the Federal institutions of Islam.
The Keeper of The Rulers’ Seal, in a statement, said the panel, whose establishment was consented to by the Malay Rulers at their Pre-Council of the 249th Conference of Rulers on July 10, was created to conduct a complete review of the administration of Islam at Federal level.
“It will investigate the basis for the setting up of such institutions and defining their jurisdictions, as well as looking into the effectiveness of these institutions, including the legal and judicial Syariah agencies at the Federal level, as they are presently constituted,” read the statement.
The panel comprises five members appointed by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V, with the consent of the Malay Rulers.
It is chaired by former Chief Secretary to the Government Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid; while Orang Kaya Kaya Imam Paduka Tuan Perak Datuk Dr Afifi al-Akiti, who is Fellow in Islamic Studies at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, as the deputy chair.
The other members are Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM); former Johor mufti Datu Nooh Gadot; and former Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Datuk Sheikh Abdul Aziz.
The Office of the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal serves as the secretariat.
To carry out its mandate, the panel will receive memoranda, and will invite submissions from all relevant stakeholders, as well as welcome views from members of the public.
“The setting up of this High-Level Panel is in keeping with the position of Islam as provided for in Article 3 of the Federal Constitution. This noble effort preserves and respects the principle underlying such matters and the established jurisdiction and powers that are vested therein with the Malay Rulers as Heads of Islam in their respective States.
“It is also appropriate that these institutions should undergo improvement so as to protect the religion of Islam, as well as to promote the universal values of Islam in this country,” read the statement.
The panel will submit its recommendations to The Conference of Rulers in efforts to improve upon the institutions of Islam and their administration at the Federal level and to ensure that they are proceeding on the right track.
