12-Apr-23 oleh WANI MUTHIAH (TheStar)
SHAH ALAM: Mosques and surau must be free from political elements and politicians should not misuse these places of worship to spread their propaganda, says the Selangor Ruler. Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said mosques and surau must not be catalysts for trouble and strife within the Muslim community due to different political ideologies or for political revenge.
He also told the Selangor Islamic Religious Council to issue orders from time to time to prevent politicians from using mosques and surau for campaigning. He added that he hoped those involved and participating in the upcoming state election would adhere to regulations and respect each other. “Remember, the conduct of politicians during campaigns will be watched and evaluated by the people before they pick their choice,” he said in his Royal Address when opening the Sixth Session of the 14th Selangor State Legislative Assembly here yesterday. In his speech, Sultan Sharafuddin said he was happy with the state government’s initiative for special needs children under the Anak Istimewa Selangor (Anis) programme, which was introduced in 2018. He said the programme had developed into a holistic and comprehensive help ecosystem for special needs children that also rendered various types of support to parents and teachers involved in their education. In a Bernama report, the Ruler said he hoped the construction of the Shah Alam Sports Complex could be carried out expeditiously, orderly and transparently according to schedule, cost and quality. “I am confident that the complex can be the catalyst for a new era of glory for the Selangor football team and become a symbol of pride for the people of Selangor,” he added. The Sultan also congratulated the state government for obtaining the National Geopark status for the Gombak-Hulu Langat Geopark project, which involves 20 geo-sites in Gombak and Hulu Langat, covering an area of 112,955sq km. “The Geopark recognition will strengthen the state government’s commitment to preserving the environment for the well-being of the people and support efforts towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and further achieve the preservation of geological, cultural and biological heritage. “I sincerely hope that Selangor will become a sustainable and green state, in line with various development technologies that support environmental protection. “The degradation of the environment and its impact on flora and fauna as well as its impact on the well-being of the people can no longer be taken for granted,” he added. Sultan Sharafuddin said he hopes the current achievements of the state’s economy would encourage more investors to explore the potential in Selangor. He said the state recorded an investment value of RM9.7bil with 199 approved manufacturing projects from January to September last year. Of the amount, he said RM6.12bil was from foreign investment while the rest were domestic investments that saw 11,601 job opportunities being created.