Mohd Ayub, Nur Faten win Sabah Quran Recital Competition

KOTA KINABALU: Mohd Ayub Maidi of Semporna and Nur Faten Izzati Rablin from Kota Marudu, were announced as the winners of the Sabah-level Al-Quran Recital Competition for the male and female categories respectively, here on Thursday night.

Each received a cash prize of RM10,000, accompanied by a trophy and certificate of participation presented by the Yang Dipertua of Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.

They duo will now represent the state at the national-level competition in April.

In the qari (male) category, Zunaidi @ Ady Misdaranai who represented Kota Kinabalu came in second, while Hamidi Yusof from Keningau finished third.

Siti Hatuah Marsuki of Tawau was the runner-up in the qariah (female) category while third place was won by Parmas Anggas from Keningau.

Meanwhile, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal when speaking during the event said the Muslim Bumiputera community in the state had much to do to catch up 'economically' with the others in the state.

As such, he said it was important to ignite the spirit of economic wellbeing among the ummah.

"That means we need new religious figures, nationalists and patriots who fight through the economic platform, and not just politics," he said.

He said this was because politics did not automatically guarantee the position and survival of the community, if it was not paired with economic soundness, especially in the era of globalisation, which prioritises commercial success. - Bernama