Up to Jakim to debate with Eric Paulsen - Shabery

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said it was up to the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) whether to debate with Eric Paulsen.

He said the Lawyers for Liberty executive director who recently claimed in his Twitter that the department was promoting extremism, appeared to be agreeable to the idea.

Shabery said Jakim should take the 'soft power' approach to correct Paulsen's misconceptions.

He said healthy dialogue and debate should be encouraged, and in this regard, the ministry could provide Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) as the platform.

"We have the platform on which Jakim can define their functions in Islamic affairs," he told reporters after mutual discussions with the MetroTV management here on Friday.

Shabery said he had suggested the debate following calls for Eric to be penalised under the Communication and Multimedia Act.

He said the law should not necessarily be applied in all circumstances, and that in some cases, an explanation was the better option to enlighten the community on issues, and who can then make their own assessment.

Meanwhile, Paulsen in his media statement on Friday, said he welcomed Shabery's suggestion.

In his Twitter last Friday (Jan 9, 2015), Paulsen posted that Jakim was promoting extremism in their Friday sermons and that the government should do something if it was serious in curbing extremism in Malaysia.

The human rights lawyer was remanded by police in Brickfields on Monday before being released two days later.

The investigation paper on the case would be handed to the Attorney General's Chambers soon, according to Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh.