Muslim group demands Jeff Ooi’s resignation

Muslim group demands Jeff Ooi’s resignation

By Adib Zalkapli

PENANG, Aug 5 — A coalition of Penang Muslim organisations today handed over a memorandum to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to demand the resignation of his chief of staff Jeff Ooi.

The memorandum was received by Deputy Chief Minister Mansor Othman after the group representing 27 organisations failed to meet Lim.

Some 300 members of the organisations gathered outside Komtar this morning to accompany the group leaders in submitting the memorandum.

“For us, Jeff Ooi has insulted Islam by linking syariah implementation with extremism,” said group representative Mohd Hafiz Nordin.

“We want him to apologise and resign as the chief minister’s chief of staff,” Hafiz told The Malaysian Insider.

The Jelutong MP, at a press conference last weekend, had reportedly asked for the resignation of PKR’s Mohd Razali Abdullah from the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) for his association with an Islamic missionary organisation, JIM.

Ooi was quoted as saying that the state government should not allow a “religious extremist” in its administration as JIM’s objective is the implementation of syariah law in Malaysia.

“I was shocked with the statement. I don’t know if he was really ignorant or trying to anger the Muslim community,” said Penang JIM committee member Roslan Hashim, who was with Hafiz to submit the memorandum.

“He may have targeted JIM, but his attack has angered other Muslim groups as well,” Roslan told The Malaysian Insider.

He added that the state government’s objective of “promoting good deeds and forbidding evil deeds” is consistent with syariah.

JIM was formed in 1990 by PAS’s Hulu Kelang assemblyman Saari Sungib.

The organisation played an active role in the Reformasi movement after the sacking of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which eventually resulted in Saari’s detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Many JIM leaders are also active members of PKR. Its vice-president and Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh was the first Wanita JIM chief.

source : www.themalaysianinsider.com