Teo Nie Ching Visit Mosque Was Not Against the Fatwa Council

Kuching
Sunday, 29th August 2010

Fatwa Council convened on March 1, 2010,that Non-Muslims allowed to Visit Mosque.

PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar said if the Selangor religious council or Mais were to charge Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching for entering a surau or Muslim prayer hall, then it should also summon the National Fatwa Council.

“It is in direct contravention to a decision made by Fatwa working committee at the Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia Kali Ke-90 which had convened on March 1, 2010,” Mahfuz told Malaysia Chronicle.

"It was decided then that non-Muslims should be allowed to enter mosques and suraus as this is one way we can propagate Islam. So if Mais thinks Nie Ching is wrong to enter the surau and want to give her a warning letter, then Mais should also send one to the National Fatwa Council.”

The PAS leader also slammed Umno for hatching the plot to roil the Pakatan Rakyat, saying that such a move ultimately hurt Islam the most as it scared off non-Muslims from the religion or even think about visiting Muslim places of worship.

“Now what Mais and Utusan has done has harmed Islam greatly. They have created the fear in non-Muslims of going to mosques and suraus. How do we spread Islam to them, how do we reach out to non-believers? I also dare to say Mais was manipulated by Umno and they deceived the Palace into thinking Nie Ching had given a political speech in the surau, which is totally false,” said Mahfuz.

PAS to sue Mais, Utusan

PAS has also asked its lawyers to look into suing Utusan and Mais for defaming their party over the surau visit.

“In its report Utusan wrote that Nie Ching gave aid to PAS members. This is not true at all. Nie Ching was handing over a cheque for a donation made by the Selangor government to the surau to help them repair a fence,” said Mahfuz.

“Secondly, Utusan said Nie Ching made a political speech which again is a lie. She only spoke after handing over the cheque and it was to explain the Selangor government’s education program. It was not a taksirah or a ceramah as it has been made out to be.”

Mahfuz said PAS would also offer legal assistance to the surau committee as Mais has threatened to take back the management of the prayer hall.

Meanwhile, Nie Ching has applied for an audience with the Selangor Sultan to explain her version of the incident. She is still waiting for a date.