KUALA LUMPUR: All mosques and surau in Selangor can no longer use loudspeakers to broadcast religious talks (ceramah) and lectures.
This decree was issued by Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today.
Selangor Council of the Royal Court secretary Hanafisah Jais, in a press statement issued today on behalf of the Sultan, said according to the decree, such broadcasts are limited only to the azan (call to prayer) and Quran recitals.
“The use of loudspeakers for ceramah and lectures for the whole of Selangor must be limited only to within the mosque and surau compounds and not beyond the borders. The only exception is for the azan and recitals of the Al-Quran.
“This is to preserve the image of Islam, which places importance on the well-being of the community as a whole,” read the statement.
In addition, all ceramah and lectures held at mosques and surau throughout Selangor will have to be videoed. This, according to the statement, is to enable the content of these events to be monitored to ensure that the Credentials Regulations (Selangor) 2008 and Mosques and Surau Regulations (Selangor) 2017 are complied with.
In the same statement, Sultan Sharafuddin had also ordered the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (JAIS) to strip Zamihan Mat Zin of his teaching credentials.
The controversial preacher’s Selangor Credentials Committee membership has also been revoked, under Rule 17 of the Credentials Regulations (Selangor) 2008.
The decision was reached after a discussion with the council on Oct 16.
The move, said the statement, was made following a religious talk by Zamihan held recently, which contained words which were “racist in nature, uncouth and included uncalled for criticism of the royal institution.”