Stop distribution of 'Selangorkini' in mosques, says S'gor Umno

TANJONG KARANG: Selangor Umno today urged the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) to stop the distribution of the 'Selangorkini' official newspaper of the state government in mosques in the state.
Selangor Umno Liaison Committee chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar said the free newspaper carried more news and information on politics than development, which ran contrary to a royal decree prohibiting mosques from being used for political campaigns.
"If the newspaper is still allowed to be distributed in mosques it will look like JAIS has ignored the decree of the Sultan of Selangor," he said at a press conference in conjunction with a meet-the-people session in Kampung Sri Tiram Jaya here.
Noh, who is Minister of Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government, said that when Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim was the mentri besar, the newspaper did not carry much political news but confined itself to reports on the programmes of the mentri besar and state government.
"The newspaper needs to be restored to its original purpose," he said.
Noh said Mohamed Azmin was misusing Selangorkini for his political campaign.
He said the newspaper, published with public funds, should rightly carry more reports on development in Selangor.
Instead, he said, the newspaper carried more political reports, mainly on the activities of the Pakatan Harapan pact.
"What is presented now (by Selangorkini) are programmes that have no relation to development in Selangor, such as the political events of Mohamed Azmin in other states, the imminent release of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from prison and the Pakatan Harapan choice of candidate for prime minister.
"We do not prohibit the publication of the newspaper because we practise freedom of the press but public funds should not be used for political campaigns," he said.
Earlier, Noh announced the approval of RM775,000 for several projects in the village, such as repair of houses and upgrading the roof of a futsal court. — Bernama