SEREMBAN, Feb 15 — The federal government has allocated RM21.18 million to mosque officials, including imams and bilal (muezzin) as well as religious teachers in Negeri Sembilan this year, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Idris Ahmad.
He said of the total, RM12.8 million was allocated for 4,034 recipients, comprising imams, bilal, siak (mosque caretaker), takmir (religious teachers) as well as the Quran and Fardu Ain (Kafa) teachers in Negeri Sembilan.
Meanwhile, the total allowance allocation for 2,129 Kafa teachers in the state involves RM7.3 million, and the government also channelled special payments for them, with an allocation of RM1.06 million.
“A special one-off RM500 payment will be distributed to 1,696 recipients, comprising imams, bilal siak, and takmir teachers, with an allocation of RM848,000,” he said when addressing the state-level ‘Ummah Multaqa Murabbi’ at the Sri Sendayan Mosque, here.
He said that the special payment will be channelled before the Aidilfitri celebration this year.
“Apart from that, the government’s contribution of RM232.80 per person to the protection package (SPS Lindung) programme, under the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) Self-Employment Social Security Scheme will also be continued this year to imams, bilal, siak and takmir teachers in the state, with an allocation of RM282,153 a year,” he said.
Idris added that the government has also allocated RM140 million for infrastructure projects involving tahfiz and ‘pondok’ schools registered under the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).
In another development, he said that the issue of deviant teachings in the country was still under control and continued monitoring, with the cooperation of MCMC and the states’ Islamic Religious Department.
“If there is news of such teachings on social media occurring in the country, immediately inform Jakim and we will channel the information to the authorities for further action,” he said. — Bernama
