'Just because Islam is the official religion does not give the authorities the right to abuse the privileges enshrined in the constitution.'

Jakim: No need for azan guideline

Swipenter: No need for guidelines because it is the official religion of the country? What kind of reasoning is that? Anything that is official does not have to operate within the confines of the law, regulations and rules of the country?

No wonder our country is turning lawless. Now can you understand why so many of our government institutions and civil servants are behaving and acting with impunity.

Multi Racial: Here we have a considerate mufti Mohd Shukri Mohamad of Kelantan making a reasonable suggestion. Instead of looking into the matter objectively, this Jakim director-general Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz just brushes the idea off and his excuse is - no need for any guideline as Islam is the official religion of the country.

Obviously Mohd Shukri knows what he is talking about since he is a mufti. I am sure his suggestion came from a heart of a true Malaysian who live in a multi-racial and multi-religious environment. As for Wan Mohamad, it is completely different.

Lucia: Such arrogance from Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz. Just because Islam is the official religion, there's no need for guidelines?

Like the Tentera Jihad who placed a dead chicken at MP Teo Nie Ching's office, they were not wrong because they were doing it in the name of Islam and Islam is the official religion?

So if there's no need for guidelines for azans, it means mosques/suraus can put the volume up as loud as they can and nobody can complain as they have a right to do so because Islam is the official religion?

Dood: In other words, "You tak suka, you keluar Malaysia". And this under the Umno/BN government. The very same government that tries to paint PAS as an extremist party that is going all out to push Islam down the throats of everyone. Anyone still in doubt as to who the real extremists are?

Habib RAK: What an arrogant and ill-educated statement by the Jakim director-general Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz. Just because Islam is the official religion does not give them the right to abuse the privileges enshrined in the constitution.

Instead of promoting better understanding, people like Wan Mohamed are destroying the name of the good religion of Islam. A proper guideline for azans does all concerned every possible good. How on earth does Wan Mohamad not see this is beyond me.

Zorrow13: No wonder we have so many body-snatching cases, forced conversion, child kidnappings, etc, in the name of Islam with support from the authorities, including the police. Is this really Islam?

Geronimo: "As such, complaints of non-Muslims on the matter cannot be entertained." What arrogance!

I have been told by a Muslim friend lately that when the Great Prophet was once praying in a mosque with a follower, another person was praying aloud nearby. The Great Prophet than told the follower to go over to tell that person to pray quietly so as not to disturb others. This is what I called consideration. Why can't Umno Muslims be like the Great Prophet?

Ida Bakar: Jakim has no problem zealously micro-managing the lives of Muslims in this country - judging from the contents of their e-fatwas and regular edicts - and yet deemed itself unwilling and unable to deal with the volume of sermons and azans from the loudspeakers on the basis that they "posed no risk of disturbance to non-Muslims."

Well, have they not heard of the complaints? What about the risk of disturbance to Muslims? Surely Jakim can see that their belligerence is doing the image of Islam and Muslims a great deal of harm.

Rayfire: Actually the guidelines were requested for all religious events and prayers. Anyway, how does Islam being the official religion nullifies the need for regulation? What is the director trying to imply?

It seems to me as though he is saying, "Don't question matters related to Islam." Is that it? Typical Umno type of response, if that is the case.

YF: If there are no need for guidelines, then why the fuss about serving alcohol, handshakes, house visits, food, foreign live bands, the use of certain Arab words, etc? Double-standards or double minded? No wonder there is chaos in this country with regard to these issues. Is this a cowboy country?

Anonymous_3ec6: "Islam is the official religion in Malaysia". Nobody denies that and other races respect that very well. Islam teaches its followers to be humble and respect others, too. Please remember, "Tolerance is a two-way street".

The other races have respect for Islam but that does not permit Muslims to threaten and bully other races. Islam practised by PAS is more tolerant than Umno's version. Umno uses Islam in politics.

Let not a man's prayer be another man's aggravation. We all pray for good noble things as taught by each other's religion. Practise what you preach.

Hamisu: This is another reason why our country cannot progress. We do not have responsible intellects who can actually help to resolve our issues permanently. Instead, we get five million excuses not to do it, when we only need one reason to push forth the greater good.

Only one word: Disappointing!

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