In response to groups claiming that the government should not be involved in organising visits to mosques, Mr Anwar said that any disagreement should be settled through dialogue.
“If there are some issues that arise, they should be resolved well so that there is no enmity or misunderstanding or suspicion.
“These include the issue raised recently about how visits to mosques should not involve the government at all, but if there are any rules that were violated or if anything causes some degree of racial sensitivity, it should be resolved through negotiation,” said Mr Anwar.
He added that all religions have the right to exist in the country.
“Islam is the religion of the federation … (and it is also) guaranteed in the federal constitution from the beginning, the freedom and right of all other religions,” said Mr Anwar.
On Friday, Selangor Islamic Religious Council’s (MAIS) chairman Abdul Aziz Bin Mohd Yusof also criticised the programme, saying that it could “subtly and unknowingly influence” Muslim youth to be attracted to a faith that is not Islam.
“From perusing the advertisements and pamphlets distributed, MAIS believes that this programme has elements that can attract the interest of the youth, especially Muslim youth, to study or acquire knowledge related to religions other than Islam,” said Mr Abdul Aziz in a statement.
He added that in the state of Selangor, any programme which aims to persuade or influence any Muslim to tend to or have interest in a non-Muslim religion is strictly prohibited and is an offence under the Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988.
Mr Abdul Aziz noted that while the programme is now limited to non-Muslim youth, as mentioned by Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh in parliament, online leaflets and advertisements have not yet been amended to reflect the change.
“MAIS takes the opportunity here to advise any organisers, whether from the public sector, non-government organisations or other bodies that intend to hold activities and programmes on the basis of unity and harmony, to be more careful and take care of the sensitivity of Muslims and communities in the country,” he said.
