Surau volume controversy: authorities denounce false azan directive

GEORGE TOWN – A surau in an apartment complex in Mount Erskine was never asked to lower its volume for the azan by the building’s joint management committee (JMC), Penang authorities have said.

With this, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman urged social media users to check their facts before sharing or commenting on posts that involve sensitive issues regarding race and religion.

“There was no such directive from the JMC of the high-rise apartment, or from the religious authorities. We need to be careful in such matters.

“There was no attempt to deter the Saidina Umar surau at Tower A of TRI Pinnacle from broadcasting their azan,” Zakiyuddin told a press conference yesterday.

A video of people shouting over an alleged directive to lower the volume of the azan from the surau, or to place its speaker within its premises instead of outside, has gone viral. The surau is said to be located within the TRI Pinnacle apartment complex here.

However, Zakiyuddin said the video posted by a local social activist, whom he identified as Mohd Sophian Mohd Zain, was misleading and had caused unease among Muslims.

“Upon checking, there was no such thing. The video post was confusing, it did not display sincerity, and it was uploaded with malicious intent,” said Zakiyuddin.

Yesterday, it was reported that TRI Pinnacle JMC chairman Alex Low, in a press conference, said that the issue of the surau’s speaker was only raised as a proposal during the JMC’s annual general meeting with residents on May 9. He said some quarters had proposed to discuss its placement, but this topic was withdrawn as it was considered a sensitive issue.

The JMC also issued an apology, saying the meeting was a private one but had been released into the public sphere with inaccurate context.

“We regret that an internal discussion that was private, was made viral to cause confusion. We would like to apologise for this issue. I personally apologise if I angered anyone,” Low said yesterday, according to media reports.

The TRI Pinnacle condominium has three blocks of 48 floors each. Block A comprises affordable housing, while blocks B and C are medium-cost units.

Zakiyuddin yesterday made reference to the Penang Islamic Religious Council’s support for the state fatwa committee’s decree in 2015 that speakers installed outside of mosques and surau were permitted for azan and iqamah (the second call to prayer) only.

In this context, Zakiyuddin said that the state regrets Sophian’s actions in making controversial claims in his post, which were contrary to what transpired.

Zakiyuddin urged Sophian to openly apologise and to remove the contentious video. Sophian is reported by Harian Metro as the chairman of Persatuan Kebajikan Surplus Pulau Pinang 

“He should also make a video to apologise,” Zakiyuddin told the press conference yesterday.

However, the surau chairman, Nasir Majid, said there had been complaints by unidentified residents over the volume level of azan.

Zakiyuddin’s press conference yesterday was interrupted, despite the presence of police, when a group of unidentified persons stormed into the event and interrupted him on a few occasions.

Sophian was present and retorted when informed that his video had caused discomfort. He did not apologise and said Zakiyuddin should instead be defending Muslims.

TRI Pinnacles is located off Fettes Park and beside the sprawling Chinese cemetery grounds. – The Vibes, May 17, 2023