Perak MB To Seek Audience With Sultan To Apologize Over His Action In Ordering The Transfer Of Perak Islamic Affairs Department Director

IPOH, May 3 (Bernama) -- Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin will seek an audience with the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah soon to apologise over his action in ordering the transfer of the state Religious Department (JAIP) director.

"I fully respect and will always humbly abide by whatever decisions by the Sultan of Perak. I will seek an audience with His Royal Highness to hand over my letter of apology as soon as possible," he said in a statement issued to Bernama here today.

Yesterday, the Sultan directed Mohammad Nizar to withdraw the transfer order issued to Datuk Jamry Sury on Tuesday and to reinstate him as the state Religious Department director.

A statement on the matter was issued by the Sultan's private secretary Datuk Abd Rahim Mohamad Nor, which also directed Mohammad Nizar to have an audience with the Raja Muda Raja Dr Nazrin Shah to explain the transfer.

It also stated that in the event that Jamry had breached any rules or committed any offence as regards the administration, the state government is required to submit the matter formally to the Sultan for him to make a decision on the necessary legal process before any final decision is made.

Jamry, who has been the state Religious department director since 2004, was issued with a 24-hour transfer order by the Pakatan Rakyat government on April 29 for allegedly refusing to cooperate with the government.

Mohammad Nizar had played down Jamry's transfer, saying it was a normal transfer of a state government officer.

source:BERNAMA

Naskhah Sahih/Bahasa Malaysia: Teks Penuh Kenyataan Pejabat Sultan Perak Berhubung Pertukaran Pegarah Jabatan Agama Islam Perak

Updates May 5, 2008

Sultan has ‘no jurisdiction on transfer’ –thestar
PENANG: Perak Sultan Azlan Shah has no jurisdiction over the transfer of Datuk Jamry Sury from the Perak Religious Department, Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh said.
“The constitution of Perak clearly provides that the Rulers must act on executive advice.
“Sultan Azlan Shah did not have any say, as the Ruler of Perak, in the decision made by the state government and, by law, the palace cannot order the state government to reinstate Jamry,” Karpal Singh said, citing the case of the Federal Territory Education Director and Others vs Loot Ting Yee which was decided in the Federal Court in 1982.

Sultan Perak acted unconstitutionally – malaysiakini
Perak Sultan acted unconstitutionally - politics101malaysia
Royalties going too far? - ktemoc

Jamry Sury Reappointed Perak Islamic Religious Affairs Dept Director – Bernama

IPOH, May 5 (Bernama) -- Datuk Jamry Sury, whose immediate transfer out last week was ordered by the Perak Menteri Besar, has been reinstated as the State Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jaip) director.

State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim said Jamry was expected to receive his re-appointment letter Monday.

"I have not signed the letter yet but it will be given to him Monday. He (Jamry) will assume his previous post (as Jaip director)," said Abdul Rahman who declined to elaborate as he regarded the case closed.

rules of shari’ah for all

The duties of the Shari’ah are for the novice as well as for the accomplished. In this matter an ordinary Muslim and the most perfect Gnostic are one. It is the amateur Sufis and unworthy heretics trying to throw away the yoke of the Shari’ah who say that the rules of the Shari’ah are for the laity.

In their view, what is required of the Sufi is to attain gnosis (ma’rifat), just as what is required of the amirs and the sultans is to rule with justice. They say that the purpose of obeying the Shari’ah is to gain knowledge; consequently, when knowledge is gained the duties of the Shari’ah decline.

In support of this they cite the verse of the Qur’aan: ‘Serve your Lord till you get yaqin,’ taking yaqin to mean God, following the interpretation of Sahl Tustari. That is to say, the duty of serving God comes to an end when one gets to know Him.

But if Sahl takes yaqin in the sense of God, what he apparently means is that the feeling of obligation in serving God disappears when one comes to know Him truly; he does not mean that the service itself drops.

To be sure, that would be sheer heresy and infidelity.

DAULAT TUANKU!

Monarchy Has Important Role In Country's Stability

KUALA TERENGGANU, March 30 (Bernama) -- The monarchy institution has an important role in maintaining stability in the country, said PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

He said this included resolving crises within the ruling party like the role played by the monarchy in Thailand.

"The constitutional monarchy system is important in national politics, particularly when there is a crisis within the government," he said after the swearing-in of the Terengganu Menteri Besar at Istana Maziah here Sunday.

Kijal assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Said, 51, was sworn in as Menteri Besar before Terengganu Regent Tengku Muhammad Ismail Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

It was witnessed by the Regency Advisory Council head Tengku Sri Panglima Raja Tengku Baderulzaman and members Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Sultan Ismail and former Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.

All 23 Terengganu Barisan Nasional (BN) state assemblymen, including former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and opposition assemblymen, attended the ceremony.

Abdul Hadi, who is Rhu Rendang assemblyman, said he appreciated the palace's role in resolving the crisis (over the appointment of a new Menteri Besar) in Terengganu. -- BERNAMA

30,000 greet the king

KUALA TERENGGANU: The rakyat and members of political parties, including from the opposition, were out in full force yesterday to welcome the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at the Sultan Mahmud Airport.

The estimated 30,000-strong crowd created a massive traffic jam lasting nearly three hours from the Sultan Mahmud bridge to the airport, a distance of about 5km.

This was Tuanku Mizan's first visit to the state since the March 8 general election. He arrived with his son, Tengku Muhammad Ismail, who is the regent.

They were greeted by Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said, state assemblymen and heads of department.

Ahmad, who was at the centre of a controversy over his appointment as the menteri besar, will be sworn-in before the Regency Advisory Council at Istana Maziah today.

State Umno liaison secretary Datuk Rosol Wahid said all state assemblymen, except for former menteri besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, were expected to be present at the swearing-in ceremony.

"It is good to see people from all walks of life and members of all political parties coming out in full force to greet the king," said Rosol.

Pas state assemblyman for Kuala Terengganu, Syed Azman Syed Nawawi, said the people were united under the king's rule and he was glad that the controversy over the appointment of the menteri besar was over.

"The people have been waiting for a long time. Terengganu will be the last state to hold the swearing-in ceremony for the menteri besar," he said. -- nstonline

Perlis Raja Muda calls for Muslim unity

KANGAR, March 30 -- The Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra ibni Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail wants Muslims to set aside their differences in opinions and political beliefs to strengthen relations, which were threatened following the recent general election.

"The elections were over but there are still rumblings. The people should rebuild friendship to develop Perlis," he said at the presentation of appointment letters to about 500 mosque officials in Perlis at the Warisan Complex here today.

Tuanku Syed Faizuddin, who is also the head of the State Islamic Religious Council, said the differences if allowed to continue would not benefit Muslims and hamper efforts to develop the state.

He also reprimanded Muslims who were always harping on various issues affecting society but not taking any action to solve them.

"The effect is that the problems remain unsolved," the Raja Muda said.

Tuanku Syed Faizuddin also expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitude of Muslims towards safety, including riding motorcycles without wearing crash helmets or driving their cars without wearing seat belts to go to the mosques.

He said such an attitude could endanger their own lives.

The Raja Muda hoped that the mosque committees would be more creative in imparting religious knowledge to Muslims and in building awareness on current issues, including those related to security, the economy and self development.

Earlier, Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Md Isa Sabu, in his speech, reminded the mosque officials not to act individually in drawing up programmes for the mosques.

"For instance, inviting speakers to give talks at the mosques without the collective approval of the mosque committees could have negative effects like causing uneasiness among members of the community.

"Only qualified speakers are allowed to give such talks and they must first get the approval of the state Islamic religious authorities," he said. -- Bernama