Actually, it's true, JAKIM has no power to enforce a lot of things. They are the central body where people "refer to for coordinating and managing anything about Islam in Malaysia".

So when people ask, "can a Muslim celebrate Ponggal?" for example, they will do some reading and meeting and come up with a unified statement: "No you can't".

But can they enforce it? NO. Can they sue somebody who celebrated it? NO. Can they instruct other bodies or authorities to adopt their stand? NO.

However, if any authoritative body decide to adopt it, then it can be enforced. So I think in the issue of Ponggal celebration, it's on KPM.

Itu JAWI, JAIS, JAIJ etc (all the states got one). Not JAKIM.

Each state has its own Jabatan Agama. This is because under Syariah law, the affairs of Muslims are under the purview of the ruler (back then, it was the Sultans). And because we formed a federation, we didn't dissolve our stately powers. Hence each states retain its own sovereignty on how to deal with anything regarding Islamic laws under their own Jabatan Agama Negeri/Wilayah.

Here's where it gets tricky. Imagine one Sultan decided "There is no rape in marriage" and another Sultan decided otherwise. A husband could potentially abuse his wife continuously so long as he did so in that particular state. So there will be no standard.

This is why JAKIM was established. To become a central reference or advisory board to all the states so that they can standardize everything. If there's a new issue/problem, JAKIM will study and come up with a solution.

But it is still up to the individual state to impose or implement.

JAKIM is overseeing all the states right now.

They just don't have the power or authority to enforce anything. Doing so would undermine the powers of the states.