Perak deputy mufti Zamri Hashim clarified that when he commented on the proscription against monuments featuring living creatures, he never referred to Langkawi's iconic eagle statue or the National Monument in Kuala Lumpur.

He said that he was only referring to local issues in Perak, in response to a question the Perak Mufti Department was asked, reported Sinar Online.

"We are entrusted with giving advice and guidance, and were responding to a local authority which asked us about the construction of a replica of an animal at a new settlement.

"It is a local Perak issue and has no connection to the replica of the eagle in Langkawi or the National Monument, but the matter has been twisted by the media which diverted it from the original issue," he reportedly said.

Zamri also said that the issue of whether to demolish the structures or not, was up to each state.

He said that the department advised the local authority to not construct the animal replica in its full complete form, unless it was for children to play with, or for educational purposes.

Malaysiakini had reported on Zamri writing in a Berita Harian pullout on Sept 2, which said that building a replica of an eagle as a landmark was proscribed as it resembled a living being.

He also wrote that building a replica of an animal was a big sin and such a monument must be demolished.

The iconic eagle statue in Dataran Lang, Langkawi is said to be connected with the legend behind the historic island.

Contacted by Malaysiakini, Kedah deputy mufti Sheikh Marwazi Dziyauddin said that the state mufti department will discuss with the fatwa council first, before any decision was made on demolishing the statue.

Marwazi said that when the statue was constructed, there was no consultation with religious authorities.

Amidst the controversy, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced the construction of a 66-acre park around the National Monument, at a cost of RM650 million.

Meanwhile, talking to Malaysiakini yesterday, Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria however insisted that statues of humans, like the National Monument, are proscribed in Islam.

"From early on we did not agree with it (the construction of the National Monument) as we are an Islamic country. Why do we need to worship monuments?

"Human shaped monuments are proscribed," he stressed.