PUTRAJAYA: Islamic Development Department (Jakim) officers have not been seconded to other agencies for policymaking, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi said the placement of these officers had been misunderstood.
"In my ministry, there are no Jakim officers. These are baseless claims," he said during the weekly post cabinet meetings press conference.
He said Jakim officers posted to other ministries were there to oversee the integrity and spiritual well-being of civil servants, a practice that had been introduced in 2006.
Fahmi was responding to a claim by the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism (MCCBCHST) on purported plans to place Jakim officers in every government department.
Fahmi said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had instructed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr. Mohd Na'im Mokhtar to meet MCCBCHST to address the concerns.
"The prime minister has asked the minister to meet the relevant parties, listen to their views, and convey the government's stance.
"He requested that this issue be resolved amicably, especially since an explanation has been provided," Fahmi said.
Yesterday, MCCBCHST expressed concerns that Jakim's involvement in the public sphere could be unconstitutional, as it might infringe upon the rights guaranteed to all Malaysians.
The group said it supported Islam's constitutional position as the religion of the federation, but believed that having Jakim officers vetting government policies to ensure they aligned with Islamic principles might be an overreach.