Group calls on Putrajaya to pump more money into Jakim

Persatuan Ulama Malaysia (PUM) has urged Putrajaya to provide more funding to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to uplift Islam.

PUM president Abdul Halim Abd Kadir said Jakim's role was important in assisting the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong as the federation's head of Islam as well as working together with the sultans who are also the head of Islam in their respective states.

Furthermore, he noted that Jakim also coordinated with various religious authorities in the states for consistency throughout the federation.

"In this context, the government should increase Jakim's fund to allow it to uplift Islam as the religion of the federation," he said in a statement today.

Halim added that Jakim had played a major role in upholding Islam based on the concept of wasatiyyah (moderation).

He also urged the public not to be influenced by those who had spoken out against Jakim.

"Questioning Jakim is indirectly an act to curb the spread of Islam in the country," he said.

Jakim received an allocation of RM810.9 million under Budget 2018, an increase of RM65.9 million from the previous year. -Mkini