TUARAN: A member of a mosque committee here lodged a police report claiming he had received threats from the committee chairman after exposing alleged mismanagement of the mosque fund.
Mejal Munabih, 45, who said he is an information liaison for Umar Al-Khatab Mosque of Taman Telipok Ria, claimed the chairman and several other individuals tried to intimidate him after he continuously brought up the issue of mosque fund during meetings.
“I asked about the financial report and how the money was utilised but they kept shutting me off every time. This caused me to become suspicious and when I tried to get to the bottom of it they started to become verbally hostile,” he told The Borneo Post.
Mejal said he eventually decided to bring the matter up with the Islamic Relious Affairs Department (JHEAINS) and a letter was issued by the Tuaran Mosque Administration Coordination Officer directing the committee to submit a five-month financial report.
A copy of the letter provided by Mejal stated that failure to provide the report in due time would result in JHEAINS auditing the mosque as provided by laws.
“Even after I get the JHEAINS involved they still refused to provide the financial report or any explanation about the money. I kept asking them about mosque’s collection and that I would not hesitate to lodge a police report if they mismanaged or embezzled the fund.
“That is when they started threatening that they would tell the police that I am a syndicate member if I don’t back off from the case. It is this absurdity that finally made me to go to the police,” he said.
Mejal, in his police report lodged at the Tuaran Police Station, stated that one of the individuals had confronted him and tried to force him to withdraw his report to JHEAINS.
“They can do what they want and I will not quit for I know I am doing what is right,” he said.
