SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAINS) detained a student from a local university yesterday, over the controversy surrounding the 2019 Tun Razak Cup debate tournament last month.
JHEAINS enforcement division head of operations unit senior officer Ahmad Zaki Hamzah said the 25-year-old student, who was acting as chief judge at the debate, was arrested after giving his statement at the JHEAINS Enforcement Division office, here, at 5pm.
“The student was called to have his statement recorded at 11am following the selection of topics in the debate which touched on Islamic sensitivities namely 'Rewrite the Quran' and 'Homosexual Practices are not sins in Islam'.
"He was detained to assist in the investigation under Section 50 of the Negri Sembilan Syariah Criminal Code which is punishable with a fine of up to RM5,000 or three years imprisonment, or both. However, he was later released at 5pm on bail by JHEAINS authorities with one surety until further action," he added.
According to Ahmad Zaki, the department is currently preparing the investigation papers to be submitted to the Negri Sembilan Syariah Prosecution Department for further action.
Meanwhile, he advised all parties not to make any statements that could be considered insulting or demeaning to Islam.
“What more if the issues are already written in the Quran. Do not try to promote or disseminate matters that may violate Islamic law as actions can be taken.
"Anything related to Islamic law should be referred to authorities such as Mufti," he said.
It was reported that Malaysian Muslim Lawyers (PPMM) president Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar had urged the Ministry of Education to take action against the organiser of the 2019 Tun Razak Cup debate competition for not maintaining religious sensitivities in Malaysia.
He also called on religious authorities and the Police to investigate whether any syariah and civil criminal case existed in the controversial issue.
The debate was held at the Datuk Abdul Razak School (SDAR) in Seremban on Oct 11 and 13, which had requested students to debate on the flaws and shortcomings of the Quran and to force them to rewrite it by removing certain non-liberal content.
In addition, the debaters were also asked to debate on the issue of homosexuality as not being a sin in Islam and in the Quran.
