TAWAU: A standard law for Islamic religious schools including tahfiz schools will be drafted to be used as a guideline and its use will be coordinated in each state. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Fuziah Salleh said, currently, each state had a different law on the setting up or registration of tahfiz schools.

In some state religious school enactments, tahfiz schools are not defined as religious schools while others which were already registered were problematic as their premises did not meet the stipulated level of safety required by the local authorities or Fire and Rescue Department.

Deputy Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) has suggested that all laws and guidelines on the method of administering tahfiz schools be coordinated and it is being prepared by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, she told reporters after closing a state level “Rahmah” women’s congress, here, today.

Subsequently, according to Fuziah, a Technical Committee would be set up to coordinate the drafting of the law by taking the best elements from each state to be included in the guideline which would become the standard law.

When it is agreed upon as a standard law, every state will be using it. And eventually, we want issues such as registration and safety do not arise, she said, adding that without the standard law it was difficult to act against unregistered tahfiz schools if something untoward took place.

In the meantime, she said a fund collection centre or special fund for religious and tahfiz schools would be set up at the suggestion of the Deputy Prime Minister.

It will be the only fund set up by the ministry (Religious Affairs). There should not be a private fund. We will channel (the funds) just like the way the Ministry of Education channels (funds) to schools, she added. — BERNAMA

Source: NST