SHAH ALAM, Aug 2 — The allegation that Islam’s position will be jeopardised if Selangor is governed by Pakatan Harapan is far from the truth, as the status of the Federation’s official religion continues to be strengthened by the Harapan-led state government.
Universiti Selangor’s (Unisel) Institute of Maqasid Syariah head Hasri Harun said that based on his observations, dakwah activities and programmes in the state have been increasing over the years, and the state government’s allocations for Islamic institutions and agencies have also grown larger.
“The state government’s effort to whitelist unregistered private religious schools, for example, should be supported by the people as it aims to elevate the quality and standards of these institutions.
“Unfortunately, when actions are taken against one or two illegal tahfiz schools, it is quickly and wrongly perceived as an attempt to eradicate Islam. This needs to be clarified to the general public,” he told Bernama today.
Meanwhile, Selangor Quran Tahfiz Institutions Association (Pitas) chairman Muhamad Hafiz Muhamad Haneefa said the state government has implemented various programmes to empower tahfiz institutions, involving annual allocations amounting to millions of ringgit.
In fact, the state government has allocated RM10 million annually for infrastructure improvements for tahfiz institutions, in addition to various forms of scholarships and financial aid since 2008.
“The state government, under the leadership of Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari since 2018, has also introduced the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) fast-track programme, which allows tahfiz students to study for free on weekends at 12 selected learning centres, with an annual allocation of RM2 million,” he said.
Muhamad Hafiz added he was made to understand the state government has plans to strengthen tahfiz education in Selangor, with the existence of five fully-funded Selangor Integrated Tahfiz Institutes, with plans to establish nine more in different districts of the state.
As such, he called on the state government to consider providing additional support to private tahfiz centres by allocating financial aid as allowances to their teachers, as many of them fall into the low-income category (asnaf).
For the record, Pitas comprises 478 private religious schools with more than 22,000 students.
Between 2018 and last year, the Selangor government was reported to have allocated RM1.4 billion to strengthen the position of Islam in the state.
This allocation covered various aspects, including welfare for mosque staff in the form of allowances, special contributions from the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to 4,200 Kelas Al-Qu’ran and Fardhu Ain (Kafa) teachers, and funds for the needs of religious schools and houses of worship.
Various religious programmes such as the Selangor Turath Islami Festival, Muzakarah Ulama-Umara, and Zikir Darul Ehsan programme involving renowned local and international scholars have also been held in the state, with the latest being the Darul Ehsan Berselawat 2.0 programme at the Malawati Indoor Stadium on July 29, which was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and 5,000 participants.
The state government remains consistent in upholding the position of Islam by making religion the core and inspiration for a dignified life through the Tawaran Kita Selangor manifesto if the alliance of Harapan and Barisan Nasional (BN) were elected to retain power in Selangor in the state elections on August 12.
Under the manifesto, the Harapan – BN coalition offers, among others, an increase in allowances for imams, bilals (muezzins), religious clerks, and nazirs (religious officials) in stages; streamlining the registration process for Islamic secondary schools to ensure the safety and conducive environment for students; introducing the Al-Ghazali Scholarship for tahfiz, pondok (religious boarding school), and religious schools, subsidising hajj cost to RM3,000 for first-time pilgrims, and expanding the study of religious texts (kitab turath) to every district.
— Bernama
