KUALA LUMPUR – A total of RM10 million will be channelled to Yayasan Restu to immediately distribute 20,000 copies of the Quran translated into the Swedish language and other foreign dialects, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the move is a response to the “rude and ignorant” act of burning the holy book by extreme right-wing Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan.
“The Islamic authorities in Sweden sent me a copy of a Quran in the Swedish language and I gave them my assurance that 20,000 copies (of the translated Quran) will be sent to Sweden.
“This is the only way we can answer (to the act of burning the Quran). This way, we are giving space to those who want to understand Islam to read the Quran and judge (Islam) for themselves,” he said during his tabling of the revised Budget 2023 in Parliament today.
Yayasan Restu is well known for its production of Quran manuscripts and Quran-related publications with exclusive designs.
Previously, Anwar said Malaysia will immediately issue one million copies of the Quran to be distributed around the world, stressing that Malaysia condemns Paludan’s actions.
He also said other Muslim nations will be consulted in the effort to distribute copies of the Quran globally.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar had later said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department and Yayasan Dakwah Islam Malaysia will be expediting the matter. – The Vibes, February 24, 2023
