The government will restore and elevate the status of “pondok” schools (community religious schools) to ensure they remain a bulwark for the faith, morals, and character of the Muslim community, in line with modern demands, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The initiative involves cooperation between the finance ministry and Jakim (the Islamic development department) to ensure that religious schools and pondok institutions that are in poor condition can be developed with new facilities and technology.
“We want to add new technology, including information technology, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence, so that this bulwark remains the strongest one to defend the faith, morals, and character of the Ummah,” he said at the opening of the international Quran recital and memorisation competition.
Anwar also announced that on Aug 8, he would launch a programme to expand the dissemination of the Quran through official translations into 30 languages.
“In all my travels around the world – to Peru, Brazil, France, Cambodia, and dozens of other countries in recent years – every time I visit, I bring the Quran along with a translation in that country’s language, and we distribute it officially. This, I believe, is a good approach,” he said.
