IPOH: Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) has issued an apology over the controversy that arose following its organised visit to a non-Muslim place of worship recently.
The visit, which was part of a programme, had sparked debate among netizens after a viral video showcasing a female participant saying there were many similarities between Islam and Hinduism.
It said the woman linked to the viral issue was not a department officer or staff member, as claimed, but a voluntary participant in the course.
"This department apologises to all parties, especially Muslims, for the controversy that arose following the organisation of the course and the participant's statements, which caused misunderstandings and tarnished the good name of the state government and the religious authorities," it said.
JAIPk said it regrets the polemic that arose following the dissemination of the video clip about the visit programme held at the temple on July 30.
It said the visit, conducted by the Global Unity Network (Unity) in collaboration with JAIPk, was held privately involving 32 selected participants from all over Perak.
According to JAIPk, all the participants were undergoing five dakwah (preaching) courses under JAIPk aimed to enhance their understanding of dakwah activities. The visit was one of the course modules.
"The visit was part of the course content to train and build the confidence of the participants in delivering dakwah, mainly to correct many misunderstandings about Islam, including hatred due to Islamophobia sentiments.
"However, the visit turned into a polemic when a newspaper published a video clip of a statement by one of the female participants, which subsequently caused misunderstandings and sparked heated debates on social media.
"The department felt compelled to clarify that the woman in question was not a JAIPk officer or staff member as alleged, but a voluntary participant in the course," the statement said.
JAIPk acknowledged the directives and several resolutions made by the Perak government after receiving advisory instructions from the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, to address the issue promptly and prevent further community unrest.
To prevent similar controversies from recurring, JAIPk will review the course modules and implementation methods and set specific guidelines for participants in future dakwah programmes organised by the department.
"JAIPk will also consult with stakeholders and other Islamic religious authorities, including the Perak Mufti Department (JMNPk) and the Perak Council of Religion and Malay Customs, to consider more suitable methods or approaches for dakwah courses," it said.
Previously, the issue went viral through a 6.35-minute video clip believed to be from a Tamil-language media outlet, depicting a delegation from JAIPk visiting a temple near Kg Kasipillay, Kuala Lumpur.