IPOH – A total of RM40 million will be allocated to cover operating costs of tahfiz schools that were forced to close following the movement control order (MCO), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Idris Ahmad.
He said the amount is the balance of the allocation for infrastructure facilities after RM60 million has been channelled to cater to the needs of the relevant institutions.
“The remaining RM40 million was meant for infrastructure facilities and development, but after consulting the finance minister, it was requested that the surplus amount be distributed instead to cover operating costs.
“The approval was only given for registered tahfiz and pondok schools, but we will try to help those unregistered in the hope that they will register to get assistance,” he said when met by reporters after handing over the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation Perak branch’s Inspirasiku MyHAUS Programme aid at Kampung Sri Aman, Menglembu here today.
Idris said so far, there has been no reports on tahfiz school closure as the schools are operating as usual according to the standard operating procedures set by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council.
Last August, the media reported that 64.7% of tahfiz schools in Malaysia were closed following the government’s instructions.
The matter was disclosed by Permata Al-Quran president Manolito Mohd Dahlan who stated that this was revealed following a survey conducted at 512 tahfiz schools nationwide.
Manolito reportedly said through the study it was found that 11.7% of tahfiz schools had to lay off all staff; 52% could afford to pay only half of employers’ salaries; and 34.4% could last no more than three months.
Earlier, Idris presented a mock house key to hawker and asnaf recipient Azidi Sudin, 53, for a RM40,000 house under the Inspirasiku MyHAUS Programme.
Azidi, who sells drinks and fried bananas and only earns RM1,300 a month to support six children, was also given RM5,000 through a business aid programme and another RM5,000 as children education aid. – Bernama, November 14, 2021
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