PETALING: Perkasa has expressed its disappointment at the G25 group of prominent Malays for suggesting the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) be abolished.

“There is no need to establish a consultative committee to discuss the amendment or abolishment of several syariah laws, because the existing laws are already clear and sufficient,” said Perkasa Islamic Affairs Bureau chief Dr Amini Amir Abdullah in a statement.

“A khalwat offence cannot be silenced in the context of private and individual rights, because an offence related to Syariah crime is still an offence,” he added.

He said should the G25 oppose any punishment towards acts of khalwat, Perkasa urged group spokesperson Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin to refer to those well-versed in religious matters.

“In this matter, the matter of individual rights and privacy do not arise because action must be taken against crimes, with the purpose of upholding the law,” said Dr Amini.

He said that regardless of whether it was performed in private or in public, khalwat is still a sin, and that there is no such thing as a “private sin between the offender and Allah."

“To Perkasa, the implementation of syariah law is not a problem. Therefore, the personal sin of someone in relation to khalwat is still a syariah crime in Malaysia,” he said.

Dr Amini also criticised the “shallow thinking” of G25 in the matter.

“They need to focus their struggle in order to empower Islam as the federal religion, and not concern themselves with petty matters, or seek popularity and cheap publicity,” he added.