PUTRAJAYA: The Attorney-General’s Chambers Syariah legal advisor Tan Sri Sheikh Ghazali Abdul Rahman has been announced as this year’s national-level Maal Hijrah Personality.
The 76-year-old, who was dressed in an orange baju melayu, took home RM100,000, a medal of appreciation, plaque and a framed certificate of appreciation.
Speaking to reporters after the national-level Maal Hijrah Celebration themed ‘Perpaduan Nadi Transformasi Negara’ (Unity, the Pulse of National Transformation) at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here yesterday, he said the award was a big responsibility to continue the expectations of the country and religion to serve the community.
“After this I need to execute the plans made by the Muslim community and increase Islamic teachings in the country,” he said.
Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom as well as cabinet ministers and foreign ambassadors.
Sheikh Ghazali, who hails from Pendang, Kedah, holds a degree in Islamic Law from the Al-Azhar University in Egypt and was named the Federal Territory Maal Hijrah Personality in 1995.
Married to Puan Sri Hanan Bakar and blessed with nine children, he has also been a member of the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council, chairman of the Bank Negara Syariah Consultative Council, chairman of the Training Curriculum for Syariah Officers Committee as well as held other posts.
Meanwhile, Jamil Khir said Sheikh Ghazali was selected based on his wide knowledge, character and contributions in Islamic teachings and development of the ummah.
“He was chosen after he was evaluated and taking into account his huge contributions through the development of the Syariah court in Malaysia and establishment of Syariah-related acts and enactments,” he said.
About 4,500 people attended the ceremony involving 101 contingents comprising civil servants, statutory bodies and the private sector, university students, non-governmental organisations and the public.
Earlier, in his acceptance speech, Sheikh Ghazali said efforts to undermine Islam like organising of the ‘Oktoberfest’ beer drinking and ‘I Want to Touch a Dog’ programmes would only increase if the ‘ummah’ (Muslims) in the country were not united.
He said such efforts by groups cloaked under the guise of liberalism, pluralism and human rights movements could only be stopped if the ummah acted in concert.
“Muslims in the country should not have differing opinions and if there are, these should be managed well so that a common understanding is reached to uphold Islamic objectives,” he said.
He said complacency on the part of the ummah had given room to the enemies of Islam to attack the religion through various means especially via the social media. He added that it was imperative for the ummah to avoid conflicts even though Islam permitted differences of opinion. — Bernama