Jakim issues ‘advisories’ to deputy minister after New Age claims

Jakim, the Islamic development department, has issued an advisory to Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Marhamah Rosli following claims she promoted New Age teachings, witchcraft, magic, or the use of charms. The controversy emerged after a screenshot of a Facebook post she published in September 2019 was recirculated, prompting questions from the public.

Jakim Director-General Sirajuddin Suhaimee explained that Marhamah had been summoned to address the matter, with the meeting attended by the federal territories mufti, a Jakim panel of experts, and other authorities. As a result of the meeting, several reprimands, advisories, and guidelines were issued, focusing on the content of programs and approaches used by Marhamah.

Jakim emphasized that all content should adhere to recognized Islamic disciplines to prevent confusion among Muslims about fundamental Islamic beliefs. Marhamah strongly denied the allegations and gave those spreading them 24 hours to remove the claims and issue an apology, threatening legal action if no action was taken.