PETALING JAYA: Pressuring politicians to take pay cuts or to go without salaries may result in more corruption, says Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.

“If they don’t get their salaries, they won’t have funds. They will take bribes – this is one of the reasons why such things happen,” he said.

Many seem to have misunderstood the job scope of their representatives, asking them to do work beyond their means or scope, he told a forum organised by University Malaya’s international institute of public policy and management on religion and corruption.

“We want leaders to be free from corruption yet we also don’t want them to take salaries.

“Sometimes when leaders do not take their salaries, we think they are good leaders but we forget that they too have lives to sustain.”

He said people must therefore be more clear about the MP’s job scope.

“Sometimes we see some people – they want to play football (and need a field), they call the MP. They need money to send their kids to school, they call the MP. We have burdened them with work that is not in their scope.

“Some of them (referring to representatives) have robes, wear prayer caps (kopiah) and their religious outfits are extraordinary … they don’t call these bribes, they call them ‘gifts for umrah’ or ‘funds for korban (sacrifices)’ .

But in the end, the hukum still states that these are bribes.”

Meanwhile, on the topic of corruption within religious institutions, Asri said religious leaders in official positions and politicians tend to get close to one another to protect each other’s individual interests.

“This is a phenomenon that happens and we must understand that.”

He added that there was a need for more leaders who use religion sincerely, instead of in exchange for support for political mileage and positions.

“Even though they are in official positions, they must not hesitate to speak the truth and not be afraid of going against things that are cruel or wrong.”

Meanwhile, KJ John from the oriental hearts and mind studies institute said the authority over religion should be given back to the Sultans and the states.

He added that the billion-ringgit funding allocated to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) should therefore be redistributed to every state.

“There has been a lot of wrongdoing tolerated by Jakim in the past, in my opinion,” he added.

“I am of the view that under the constitutional monarchy system, Islam must be placed under the states, not under a federal institution.”

FreeMalaysiaToday

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Asri, I can puke at your words and thinking.

So Politicians have to turn to corruption because Rakyat demand for their pay cut.

But what happens when Politicians are demanding for bribes when they are earning RM100,000 per month without pay cut.  You mean corruption just started because of the Rakyat's demand?

For your information the Malay Politicians were taught and groomed to be corrupted by Mahathir in 1982.  I can honestly say this because Tun Daim was a nobody then, but after he became the Finance Minister, he became a billionaire, not a millionaire.

So how did a failed businessman become rich after becoming Finance Minister?

Mahathir's children were nobody when they were working for people.  But after Mahathir became PM, the children are all billionaire.  Today even the grandchildren are billionaire.  Can explain how children can become billionaire when they are still sucking milk from their mother?

What about you Asri, how did you become a millionaire?  Just doa and money drops from the sky, is it?

I can tell you this, all the UMNO, Bersatu and PAS leaders became rich because they are corrupted.  UMNO, Bersatu and PAS are grooming schools for criminals like you.

Hannah Yeoh did not receive RM3.1 million from PN Government to help the people in need of food under MCO1, 2 and 3.  She used her own savings for the people.  She already given to more than 300,000 Rakyat food basket and 3,000 pack meals.  As Mufti, what have you done?  Did you give food aid or pack meals for your neighbours?

32 million pair of eyes can see for themselves how inhumane and selfish the Malay politicians in UMNO, Bersatu and PAS are.

Can you explain about the missing PASTORS?