BUTTERWORTH – The federal government wants to expand the role of the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) in efforts to enhance the country’s dignity and status, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said he had met with Jakim’s leadership recently and wanted them to help draft a national development policy framework based on Malaysia Madani.
“Previously, Jakim’s work was to preach, provide training and organise Al-Quran recitation and memorisation competitions with the respective state governments, but Jakim played less of a role in drafting the 12th Malaysia Plan and Madani Budget.
“I have instructed that the role of the mufti, scholars or other figures in Jakim should be in line with this development so that their input can be beneficial and can raise the the country’s dignity and status,” he said in a speech at the 1444H/2023 National Recitation and Al-Quran Memorisation Competition here last night.
Penang is hosting the national-level competition this year, which is scheduled to take place over six days until June 16.
Meanwhile, Anwar invited Muslims to take advantage of the Quran’s miracles by discussing sustainability and the value system it advocates.
He added that certain individuals had objected to the government’s initiatives, including the Madani budget, by making inaccurate references to verses in the Quran.
He said the act of misusing the Quran to make arguments would damage the sanctity of the holy book that scholars have defended for over a thousand years. – Bernama, June 12, 2023
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