Irshad Manji's Book: States Islamic Religious Dept, Council Reminded To Act

PUTRAJAYA, May 24 (Bernama) -- The respective states' Islamic Religious Department (JAI) and Islamic Religious Council (MAI) have been reminded to continuously take appropriate action on the sale and distribution of the book, "Allah, Liberty and Love: The Courage to Reconcile Faith and Freedom" by controversial author Irshad Manji, as the content is deemed to be contrary to true Islamic teachings. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Jamil Khir Baharom said this country had it own laws and constitution which respected the different religions of the people, hence JAI and MAI must be prepared to act if there were violations againt the Islamic religion. "Any publication that ridicules Islam will touch the sensivities of Muslims even if the author is also a Muslim," he said, adding that Selangor had taken action by banning the sale of Irshad Manji's book. Jamil Khir was speaking to reporters after opening the Islamic Youth Colloquium at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque, here on Thursday, in conjunction with the 'Gathering of One Million Youths' 2012. Enforcement officers from the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) on Wednesday night seized seven copies of Irshad Manji's controversial book in a raid on a bookshop in a shopping complex in Bangsar. On the colloquium, Jamil Khir said it was one of the ways for youths to draw up spiritual and human capital development programmes, besides instilling patriotism. He said their active involvement in the National Youth Day celebrations had made Putrajaya a youth township, other than building organisational skills, leadership qualities and resilience in them. -- BERNAMA