KUALA LUMPUR - A MAVERICK Islamic scholar, who is being courted by the government and opposition, has claimed that he is being persecuted for giving views that have rankled Malaysia's conservative religious establishment.
Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, a former mufti of Perlis state, was stopped by officials from the Selangor Islamic Department (Jais) and the police while delivering a talk on Sunday evening at a house.
He was to be charged with preaching without an authorisation letter from the Islamic authorities, an offence in several Malaysian states. The law has been in place for years to protect the public from deviant preachers.
Dr Asri, 38, was at an Islamic court yesterday to hear the charges against him, but was released on a police bond without being charged.
The prominent cleric, who is popular even among non-Muslims for his liberal and progressive views, claimed that his arrest was due to 'selective prosecution'.
'It seems they arrested me without any reason, and now they are studying which charge is suitable against me,' Dr Asri told reporters outside the courtroom. 'I hope this becomes a point for the government to amend the laws for better human rights and more freedom of speech.'
Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.
