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Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email Wake up call for all Indian youths to launch another protest call? I think we can do a protest weekly, since nearly every week there's news about discrimination against Indian community in one way or another. Maybe can set a fixed venue for weekly gathering to protest against issue A or issue B and so on…
Wrong to display religious pictures?
source
KUALA LUMPUR: Is it an offence to place pictures of verses from the Quran and Hindu deities in restaurants?
This is the poser following the confiscation of such pictures from two restaurants in Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, here.
A spokesman for Restaurant Aiswaria, A. Mohd Dhasthagi, said officers from the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim), Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Domestic Trade and Industry Ministry inspected the premises on Tuesday.
A notice was issued, saying that the restaurant did not have halal certification from Jakim and also did not have Muslim workers. The owner was asked to rectify the situation. The team took away a picture of Mecca and another with verses from the Quran.
Aiswaria owner Jehabar Ali Hussain Kader said yesterday: "I have not broken any laws. It’s ridiculous that I was cited for these offences. I never knew that it is an offence to display religious pictures in my premises. Being a Muslim, I purchase food items from a halal vendor."
He said he had Muslim workers.
Restaurant Seetharam, a few doors away, was also cited for similar offences. The raiding team confiscated three pictures of Hindu deities placed behind the cashier’s counter.
The employees said they were baffled by the removal of the pictures.
The issue was highlighted yesterday by opposition leader Lim Kit Siang. He had earlier visited the outlets with two other MPs, Chong Eng and Fong Po Kuan.
Lim said this was not the first time such raids were conducted and he feared it could set back inter-racial harmony.
Jakim director-general Datuk Mustafa Abdul Rahman said he was not aware of the incident.
"If it is true, I will ask for a report from the officers involved. This is a sensitive issue and I can’t comment until I know the whole story."
Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said the display of religious pictures had nothing to do with the food served.
He said Muslims could consume food in restaurants as long as the ingredients were halal and the preparation followed Islamic principles.
"Islam allows the display of religious pictures and paraphernalia in a private area as long as it doesn’t disturb the peace. This incident must be investigated carefully as we don’t know what the real issue is."
