Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the government proposed to upgrade the post of Mufti to rank equivalent to State Executive Councillor (exco). — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — The government has proposed for the post of Mufti to be upgraded to be equivalent to State Executive Councillor (exco) to enable the muftis to give their views and opinions on Islamic issues through exco meetings, so that it could be channelled to the government.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the views and opinions of all 14 muftis in the country could be consolidated and adopted to help the government to realise the national development transformation agenda based on Islamic law.

“For example, in the gambling issue, it was the consensus of these 14 religious scholars that explains that Muslims are prohibited from gambling even in a licenced premises.

“The Syariah courts have the jurisdiction to punish the Muslims offenders,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Jamil Khir said this in his reply to supplementary question from Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman (PKR-Indera Mahkota) on the willingness of the government to hold an assembly for the ulama to coordinate dakwah activities in the country.

He also said that the government, from time to time, had also provided a platform of knowledge enhancement by organising periodic programmes involving ulama, intellectuals and religious non-governmental organisations in the country, such as the Assembly of Ulama-Umara. — Bernama