KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar (pix) today clarified that the cost of printing one copy of the Quran under the one-million Quran printing operation is only RM38, not RM500 as claimed by Member of Parliament for Bagan Serai, Datuk Idris Ahmad.
The minister said that the price of RM38 includes the cost of printing, delivery, and distribution of the holy book and that the government has also allocated RM10 million for this purpose under Budget 2024.
“So, with RM38 per copy, the allocation of RM10 million would enable the printing of approximately 265,000 copies of the Quran in 2024, Insya-Allah,” he told reporters after flagging off the Zakat Convoy 2023 here today.
Mohd Na’im also said 96,000 copies of Quran translation have been produced in four languages, namely English, Mandarin, Khmer and Swedish, so far.
He also encouraged the public to participate in the effort to raise a million endowment of the Holy Quran, which aimed at, among others, luring the interest of non-Muslims to learn about Islam.
In another development, the minister said the bill to restrict the propagation of any doctrines or religious beliefs among Muslims is expected to be tabled in Parliament next year.
He said efforts to draft the bill are progressing, and that the government had never planned to halt the process as suggested by certain parties.
On the convoy, Mohd Na’im said the programme, which was introduced in 2012, is being organised by the Department of Waqf, Zakat and Haj (JAWHAR) with the cooperation of state Islamic religious councils.
This year, the three-day convoy is heading to Baling and Sik, Kedah, to enable the zakat (tithe) governing body to provide enlightenment and encourage Muslims to pay their tithe. –Bernama
