Penang Umno today questioned state executive councillor for religion Abdul Malik Kassim over his remark that he did not interfere in the decisions of the fatwa committee when there was a letter to prove otherwise.

State Umno liaison chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman said the letter was purportedly sent by Malik to former state mufti Hassan Ahmad in 2010.

In the letter, Malik had said he was disappointed that the prohibition of the term Allah on non-Muslims in Penang, was gazetted without his knowledge.

Malik had also cited Section 48(4) of the Penang Islamic Religion Administration Enactment which stated that when a fatwa is approved by the Yang diPertuan Agong, the state fatwa committee must inform the state government so that the fatwa can be gazetted.

Malik had insisted that he did not interfered in the fatwa decision regarding the prohibition of the term Allah for non-Muslims.

"Malik's excuse that there was no interference because the state fatwa committee did not follow his request stated in the letter is of no use.

"The question whether the state fatwa committee complied with Malik's or the DAP state government's requests or not does not mean there was no interference," Zainal said in a statement.