Zahid wants better Islamic propagation via Internet

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today called for wider propagation of Islamic missionary information through the Internet to match the dissemination via the traditional media. He said the conveying of missionary information over the Internet enabled the message to be carried across borders and to reach all the people. "In this way, the various needs of Muslims can be conveyed in accordance with current preferences suitable to Islamic teachings," he said in a statement circulated in conjunction with the meeting of the Main Committee of the Islamic Consultative Council at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre. Ahmad Zahid chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha and PAS spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din. The deputy prime minister said the social media boom over the past few years had been identified as a source of various social ills and the dissemination of information by various unauthoritative mass media channels had led to the manipulation of certain issues by irresponsible people. "We find that some isolated issues are often played up to tarnish the image of Islam, and religious institutions, heads of religious departments, muftis and Islamic intellectuals are subjected to character assassination," he said. Ahmad Zahid said that though the efforts of religious authorities were seen as able to stem the flow of false news, the dissemination of negative news continued unabated. He said missionaries should take it as a challenge and preach to eliminate this attitude among the people either through the mass media, electronic media or social media. Ahmad Zahid, who is also home minister, said the use of the new media in Islam should place more emphasis on the concept of devotion and piety and making Islam the way of life. He also said that liberalism which fuelled the spread of deviant teachings should be stemmed to stop the development of thoughts and ideologies contrary to the teachings of Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah. – Bernama, February 1, 2016.]]>