NGO submits memorandum to PM for Jakim, tahfiz to be empowered

PUTRAJAYA: Representatives from 24 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on Monday submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad urging that the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) be empowered and its roles and functions boosted to face current challenges and needs.

The memorandum, titled ‘ Memorandum Suara Umat’ (Memorandum on the Voice of the Ummah), also urged that tahfiz education be included in the mainstream education system and policy, on par with the nationaltype Chinese and Tamil schools.

The memorandum was handed over by two representatives of the NGOs, Datuk Seri Dr Mustapa Kamal Maulut and Lokman Shazly Zaharin to Shaarani Abdul Rahman representing the prime minister at the Perdana Leadership Foundation office here.

They were accompanied by 130 male students from three tahfiz institutions, the Ma’ahad Tahfiz Tijarah in Selayang, Akademi Darul Huffaz International in Kajang and Institut Tahfiz Klang, who gathered peacefully outside the building carrying placards bearing the words ‘Jakim’ and ‘Tahfiz’.

Speaking to reporters later, Lokman Shazly since it was set up on Jan 1, 1997, Jakim had contributed towards creating a dynamic Muslim society.

“Reducing its roles and functions or abolishing it will only take us backwards. Worse, it denies the rights of Muslims and Malays to live according to religion,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisation ( Mapim) has protested any effort to abolish Jakim and said it should instead be strengthened. Its president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said since it was formed, Jakim had contributed to the growth of Islam in Malaysia.

“Jakim which is under the Prime Minister’s Department, is needed to carry out the responsibility of planning, implementing, assessing and development of Islamic teachings in the country,”