KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s participation in the conversion ceremony last week was an impromptu arrangement done at the request of the local non-governmental organisation Muslim Welfare Organisation Malaysia (Perkim).
In a video clip posted on Twitter, Perkim’s Klang division chief Hushim Salleh clarified that the conversion ceremony was an impromptu session that took place after Anwar’s Friday prayers at Masjid Jamek Ar-Rahimiah in Klang before he visited the next-of-kin of the Elmina crash victims at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital.
“On that day, (Anwar) participated in the conversion ceremony of the individual upon my request as the Klang Perkim chief. He agreed because he is an honourable Muslim,” he said.
“The ceremony should have been conducted at the Klang Perkim’s office, but since the PM was visiting the next-of-kin of the Elmina crash victims and was scheduled to perform his Friday prayers at the mosque opposite the hospital, we requested for him to participate in the conversion ceremony.
“He (Anwar) was just there to perform his Friday prayers and informed his officers that he wanted to leave to attend a programme at 3pm.”
Hushim explained that it was also the request of the individual himself to have Anwar participate in the conversion ceremony, as he wanted to be named after the prime minister.
The Perkim chief also hopes that no presumptions are made following his clarification.
“Do not spread rumours out there; you’d just be sinning,” he said.
Following the conversion ceremony. Anwar faced criticism from certain quarters, who said his participation had displayed a “lack of religious sensitivity”.
Subsequently, Pahang Mufti Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Osman said politicising Anwar’s act of presiding over the ceremony was unnecessary, as any Muslim can bear witness to the Islamic conversion of other individuals. – August 22, 2023