Activist Walks Off As Police Attempt To Seize His Phone For Investigation
Here’s everything you need to know about Anwar Ibrahim’s recent conversion controversy.
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An activist created a furore when he declined to surrender his mobile phone to police authorities for investigation.
S Shashi Kumar, the Global Human Rights Foundation president, was summoned to Bukit Aman police headquarters.
He was called over a TikTok video in which he questioned Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s actions in converting a young man to Islam at a mosque in Klang.
Upon arriving at the police headquarters, Shashi was surprised when a Classified Investigation Unit inspector wanted to confiscate his phone.
1. Activist S Shashi Kumar walked off from Bukit Aman after the police attempted to seize his phone, Malaysiakini reports.
— BFM News (@NewsBFM) August 23, 2023
He was summoned for a TikTok video where he questioned PM Anwar Ibrahim's involvement in a conversion ceremony at a mosque.https://t.co/TiOJez0w9c
The police officer stated that it was their procedure to confiscate the phone.
However, Shashi refused to hand over his phone, citing personal documents and family photos stored on the device.
Shashi plans to transfer the data on his phone before meeting with investigators again to give a statement.
He has offered to provide the video in question but has refused to allow police access to any other data on his phone, describing the request as an invasion of privacy.
The activist was called by Section 504 of the Penal Code, which sets out offences relating to “deliberate insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.”
Shashi Kumar is the second activist to be called by the police regarding criticism of Anwar.
Another activist, Arun Dorasamy, was called in for questioning yesterday regarding another video related to the issue.
NGOs Condemn Attack on PM
Meanwhile, some NGOs expressed regret and condemnation towards those who attacked Anwar for teaching the shahadah to a non-Muslim.
Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (Mapim) president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said the call to boycott the by-election in Johor is seen as a political provocation aimed at questioning the position of Islam in the country.
The Chairman of Perkim Klang has explained that he voluntarily invited the PM to teach the shahadah without coercion. Perkim has never been questioned for managing voluntary conversions, established by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, the former first Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Mapim president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid on Perkim managing voluntary conversions.
Thus, there is nothing wrong with the Prime Minister teaching shahadah to those willing to embrace Islam and condemn any hostility or prejudice towards Islam and Muslims.
Mohd Azmi urges parties to stop spreading hatred between religions and inflaming suspicion towards the Prime Minister and the Muslim community.
Some politicians and netizens, including Muslim converts, have also rallied to Anwar’s defence.
Former Umno minister Khairy Jamaluddin also expressed his support for Anwar. Khairy noted that the incident caused unrest and dissatisfaction among some parties.
According to Khairy, some people believe that it is not the Prime Minister’s duty to be involved in religious matters, and some even accused the government of using the act to regain public support after the state election.
He said that just because someone is a Prime Minister doesn’t prevent someone from becoming a Muslim.
Berita penuh: https://t.co/qu3rzp3rvy
— Malaysiakini (BM) (@mkini_bm) August 22, 2023
Bekas menteri Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin, hari ini menyatakan sokongannya terhadap tindakan Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim mengislamkan seorang pemuda di sebuah masjid di Klang baru-baru ini. pic.twitter.com/9wcM7M2flH
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