PETALING JAYA: RM1.5bil has been earmarked for the management and development of Islamic affairs under the Prime Minister’s Department, says Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

       Under the umbrella of Islamic education, the government will implement initiatives such as building a religious secondary school in Labuan with the total cost of the project amounting to RM65mil.

       A special one-off payment of RM500 will also be allocated for 70,000 mosque officers including imam, bilal (muezzins), siak (mosque caretaker) as well as guru takmir (religious teachers), and Fardhu Ain and Kifayah (Kafa) teachers.

       Tengku Zafrul also said that an additional 1,000 guru takmir (religious teachers) will also be hired to widen the scope of Islamic teachings under the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to government agencies such as the Prisons Department, the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) and the Welfare Department.

       Tengku Zafrul was tabling the 2022 Budget in Dewan Rakyat on Friday (Oct 29).

       Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob earlier had said the Budget was drawn up to benefit all quarters in line with the Malaysian Family concept which assures that no one will be left out in the country’s recovery agenda after experiencing difficulties brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.