Selangor State Legislative Assembly Passes Amendment Enactment Bill to Clarify Criteria for Appointing Islamic Officials

Strategic Insights -

The Selangor State Legislative Assembly has passed a significant amendment to the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment Bill, aimed at clarifying the criteria for appointing members of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) who adhere to the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah creed. The amendment involves changes to 10 clauses and was unanimously passed after a debate by six assemblymen. The bill proposes to include the interpretation of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah in Enactment No. 1/2003, ensuring that the Islamic administration of Selangor aligns with the teachings of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah and the principles of Maqasid Syariah.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) (Amendment) Enactment Bill 2025 clarifies the criteria for appointing members of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) other than ex-officio members, who must adhere to the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah creed.
  • The amendment involves changes to 10 clauses of the original Enactment and proposes to include the interpretation of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah in Enactment No. 1/2003.
  • The Selangor Islamic Religious Affairs and Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah highlighted the importance of the amendment, stating that it aims to prevent the appointment of individuals with extreme or liberal views that deviate from the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah creed.
  • The bill is in line with the decree of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, on March 14, instructing Mais chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin to implement the amendment.
  • The staggered drafting process involved multiple stakeholders, including the Selangor State Legal Advisor's Chamber, Selangor Mufti Department, Selangor Syariah Judicial Department, and Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).

Statistics:

  • The amendment Enactment Bill 2025 involves changes to 10 clauses of the original Enactment.
  • The Selangor Islamic Religious Affairs and Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah led the debate among six assemblymen before the bill's passage.

Sources:

  • The Star ("State legislative assembly passes amendment bill to clarify Islam body's criteria for members") [1]
  • Bernama ("Selangor Islamic religious affairs committee tables amendment bill to clarify mosque membership")