Mosque officials get power to nab Muslims drinking alcohol

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SHAH ALAM: Mosque officials in Selangor have now been empowered to arrest Muslims drinking alcohol in public places.

Also at risk of being arrested are Muslims selling, storing and displaying alcoholic drinks for sale.

Announcing this yesterday, Selangor executive councillor Datuk Dr Hassan Mohd Ali said the mosque officials empowered to carry out the arrest were the nazir, imam, bilal and siak.

Dr Hassan, who is also the Selangor PAS commissioner, said the officials were empowered to arrest without warrant under Section 18 of the Syariah Criminal Precedure (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003.

He said the officials would be required to adhere to procedures under the enactment.

“These officials have been appointed to assist the Selangor Islamic Religious Council and the Selangor Islamic Re­­ligious Department,” he told reporters after a briefing at Shah Alam mosque here.

The briefing was for the first batch of 300 mosque officials and was conducted by Selangor assistant Syariah legal adviser Mohamed Fouzi Mokh­tar.

Dr Hassan said officials from 170 mosques throughout the state would be briefed on the arrest procedure.

Explaining the procedure, Dr Hassan said those who drank in public would not be immediately arrested.

“They will be issued with a notice and they can be fined, especially those who retaliate or are uncooperative,” he said.

He added that mosque officials could not detain the alleged offenders for more than 24 hours.

“They have to be surrendered to the police or religious authorities within that period,” he said.

Dr Hassan said that if convicted of consuming alcohol in public places, an offender could be fined RM3,000 or jailed not more than two years or both under Section 18 of the Syariah Crimi­nal (State of Selangor) Enactment 1995.

Those caught selling, displaying for sale and storing or buying alcohol, could be charged under the same section and fined RM5,000 or jailed for not more than three years or both.

Dr Hassan also said that Mus­lims who commit offences such as eating, drinking, smoking and selling food to other Muslims during the Ramadan month could be charged and fined RM1,000 or jailed for not more than six months or both.

For subsequent offences, they could be fined RM2,000 or jailed for not more than one year or both.

Dr Hassan said the officers from the religious authorities could not arrest those who commit such offences.

He said the officers were only required to take down the alleged offenders’ particulars, offences and the exhibits.

Enforement officers from the religious authorities would need the state head of Syariah prosecution’s approval before investigating.