RTM ready to provide facilities to clarify fatwa

Radio Television Malaysia and the Information Department are ready to provide time for parties concerned to provide clarification to the people about fatwa (edicts) issued in the country, said Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Speaking to reporters after attending his ministry's Quality Day 2008 at Auditorium Perdana at Angkasapuri today, Ahmad Shabery said what was important was to give additional and clear information on the edicts issued.

"We want the parties concerned... Jakim and the like to articulate the fatwa concerned and RTM and the Information Department will provide the infrastructure so that information is delivered to the grassroots clearly," he said when asked how RTM could play a role to explain the fatwas issued to the people, including non-Muslims.

Recently, two fatwa issued on tomboy behaviour and yoga had evoked various reactions, including from non-Muslims.

On bloggers and blogs, Ahmad Shabery said the government did not propose to have laws to restrict or control them as done in some countries but the government always monitored them.

"I feel the government is not proposing to do that as maybe the number of naughty persons who abuse the facility is not big... one or two per cent only of the total in the blogging world.

"So it is not fair that because of one or two per cent of them that we have legislation that makes it difficult for all," he said.

On the steps taken by the government to face the global economic crisis, Ahmad Shabery said Malaysia had not seen large lay-offs as in Western countries like the United States where the number of people who sought aid and social benefits was at its highest in 16 years.

"We don't hear of that in our country as our economic system is better established and the government's preparation is far better than that of the Western countries," he said.