Selangor Islamic council denies Jais ‘frame-up’ claims in Nik Nazmi’s khalwat detention, says no one is above the law

SHAH ALAM, Oct 17 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) has denied allegations that the detention of former Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) last Thursday over a khalwat case was an act of persecution or a “frame-up”.

Mais chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin said Jais had acted on an official complaint and followed established legal procedures, without manipulating the situation to target any individual.

“The suggestion that the religious department was involved in manipulation or anything of the sort is entirely untrue.

“We have a legal obligation... when a complaint is lodged, we are required to conduct a thorough investigation.

“Rest assured, Jais will carry out the investigation as diligently as possible, and if there is clear evidence, we will proceed with charges in court,” he said.

He told reporters this after the 2026 Gathering of Accredited Religious Teachers in Selangor at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Silver Jubilee Hall here today, which was also attended by Selangor Mufti Datuk Dr Anhar Opir.

Salehuddin said the case was made public to clarify that Syariah laws were enforced fairly, regardless of the background or influence of the individual under investigation.

He urged the public to give Jais sufficient time and space to complete its investigation and refrain from speculation that could compromise the fairness of the legal process.

“We cannot pass judgment while the investigation is still incomplete.

“We must act fairly and carry out our duties in accordance with the regulations.

“If we were to act outside these regulations, we ourselves would be subject to accusations,” he said.

Earlier, Nik Nazmi confirmed in a statement on his Instagram account that he was one of two individuals detained by Jais in Petaling Jaya last Thursday over allegations of khalwat, and said he was prepared to cooperate with any legal proceedings.

On a separate case involving a local youth suspected of participating in the rituals of another religion, Salehuddin said preliminary findings suggested that the individual’s actions were, so far, a matter of personal belief.

However, he said Jais was examining various forms of digital evidence, including social media posts concerning rituals at Batu Caves that had been linked to other belief systems.

“The public must understand that when we intend to take legal action in court, we must ensure that all evidence is authentic.

“We are aware that material could potentially be superimposed or generated via AI (artificial intelligence); therefore, we have experts who can verify its authenticity.

“Regarding the issue of apostasy, we cannot impose penalties without conducting a thorough investigation.

“We certainly consult with the relevant authorities before taking action against anyone.

“A comprehensive investigation must be carried out first,” he said.

On October 13, Jais director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said a man who went viral over allegations that he had performed rituals of another religion in breach of Syariah law had been detained alongside his mother in Kuala Lumpur to assist in an investigation under Sections 4 and 10 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995. — Bernama

* Editor’s note: The acronym Mais in Malay stands for Majlis Agama Islam Selangor, or the Selangor Islamic Religious Council. Jais stands for Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor, or the Selangor Islamic Religious Department.