Jakim still monitoring Syiah movement in the country

The Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) is still monitoring the Syiah movement in this country. Its director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha said the number of Syiah followers differed from one state to another and there were no specific numbers as they kept increasing. "The respective state religious departments are also assisting us (Jakim) by being on the lookout for groups involved in Syiah practice," he said after the breaking-of-fast with Orang Asli Muslim converts at the Orang Asli Dakwah Training Centre in Kok Lanas, here, last night. Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom stressed that whoever was involved in Syiah practice, which was not allowed in this country, would face stern action regardless of their status and political leanings. He also reportedly said that it was difficult to trace Syiah practititioners as they hid their identity and always lied to avoid detection. Meanwhile, at the function, 36 Orang Asli converted to Islam by pronouncing the syahadah. Othman said Jakim with the cooperation of the respective state Islamic religious departments and state Islamic religious councils had set up the Converts Registration Committee for the whole country. "It is for discussing various issues involving the managing of Muslim converts and their welfare," he said. Othman said Jakim also planned to develop an online system called eMualaf to gather all information related to Muslim converts that would be easy to access. Also present at the function were state Islamic Religious Department director Datuk Che Mohd Rahim Jusoh and Kelantan Islamic Outreach chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Kechik.