Tok Bali:Some 2.5 tonnes of ashes from the burning of worn-out and damaged copies of the Quran were disposed of in the waters off Tok Bali today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the disposal exercise was conducted by the Home Ministry's Enforcement and Control Division to ensure the worn-out and damaged Quranic copies were handled according to Syariah law and legal provisions. The process involved religious expertise from the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAHEAIK), with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Kelantan providing safety at sea.

JAHEAIK ensured compliance with Syariah law during the handling process, while the MMEA provided technical and maritime support to ensure safety during the sea journey. This initiative is part of the Home Ministry's efforts to properly manage damaged, imperfect, or uncertified Quranic copies.

Throughout the year, 22,002 copies of the Quran were collected through 350 'Jom Exchange Al-Quran' (JEQ) programmes nationwide. These comprised 14,691 damaged or worn-out copies and 7,311 copies without official certification from the Home Ministry.

The JEQ programme allows the public to exchange old or damaged Quranic copies for new ones approved by the Ministry's Quranic Text Printing Control and Licensing Board (LPPPQ). It also raises awareness about the importance of using certified copies.

The public, importers, publishers, and sellers are reminded to comply with the Printing of Quranic Text Act 1986. The Ministry advises checking for the hologram sticker and the LPPPQ approval stamp on Quran copies to ensure they are authentic and officially approved. The Ministry emphasizes that it will not tolerate the sale or distribution of uncertified copies, which could mislead Muslims.