SHAH ALAM: Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali has proposed that Sisters in Islam (SIS) hold a meeting with the mufti of Selangor and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) on the state fatwa branding the group as deviant.

The menteri besar said he had sought clarification on the fatwa during a Nov 3 meeting of the Selangor Royal Council after reading SIS’ media statements.

“From the clarification given by the mufti and Mais at the meeting in Dewan Di-Raja Selangor, I proposed with the consent of Tuanku Sultan that the mufti of Selangor and Mais hold a meeting with SIS in order to avert confusion and misunderstanding.

“I hope that such consultation and meeting, conducted without rancour or ill-will, will help bring about an atmosphere of harmony as enjoined by Islam,” said Mohamed Azmin in a statement yesterday.

SIS filed a judicial review against the fatwa last Friday after stumbling across it on the Malaysian Islamic Development Department’s website on Oct 20.

The fatwa, which was gazetted in Selangor in July, declared SIS and any other similar organisation that promotes religious liberalism and plurality as being deviant to the teachings of Islam.

In addition, any publication that promotes liberal and pluralistic religious thinking will be declared unlawful and confiscated.

SIS named the Selangor Fatwa Committee, Mais and the state government as respondents.

In response, SIS programme manager Suri Kempe said the non-governmental organisation welcomed the dialogue with the state religious authorities.

“We have no problems meeting with Mais. We are waiting for the invitation. We have yet to receive a formal invitation. Of course, we are open to the dialogue,” she told The Malaysian Insider.

Suri said she hoped the dialogue would result in the withdrawal of the fatwa and revocation of its gazetting.

“But so far, on our end, nothing’s changed and there’s been no development. But we are looking forward to the meeting and are keen on discussing with them the work we do,” she said.

Suri said SIS had engaged with the National Fatwa Council before in 2012, in which the organisation shared its findings from their polygamy studies to encourage syariah law reform.

“But there’s been no follow-up on that. We didn’t see any attempt to change the system. So we’ll see how it goes with this meeting,” she said.

On Saturday, Mohamed Azmin reportedly said the decision by the state authorities on the fatwa should be respected, prompting SIS to criticise him and demand an explanation.

“With all due respect, what does it even mean to ‘respect’ the fatwa? Perhaps he can enlighten us on the definition of ‘liberalism’ and ‘pluralism’,” Suri said on Sunday.

Yesterday, Mohamed Azmin said fatwas are not under his purview as the menteri besar.

“It should be noted that I am not a member of the Fatwa Committee of Selangor and fatwas are not within the jurisdiction or purview of the office of the menteri besar,” he said.

PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told reporters on Sunday that the National Fatwa Council should allow public space for differing views on Islam.

“My position is that there must be an avenue for people to agree to disagree and to continue to have discussions in a proper forum,” Anwar said after giving a speech at the Muslim democrats’ conference dinner in Petaling Jaya.

SIS is challenging the fatwa on constitutional grounds and the group said it is legally entitled to challenge what restricts its constitutionally guaranteed fundamental liberties. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 6, 2014.