KUALA LUMPUR: All states have reached a consensus to standardize and extend the working hours and days for teachers of the Quran and Fardhu Ain (KAFA) classes, aiming to enhance the welfare of these educators, announced Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, this decision emerged from an engagement session involving the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the KAFA Implementation Agency at the state level, and the Ministry of Education (MOE), covering the period from 2022 to 2024. Mohd Na’im revealed that currently, only 47 percent of the available premises meet the necessary requirements for KAFA classes to operate five days a week.
Mohd Na’im further elaborated on the community’s concerns regarding KAFA teachers, indicating the government’s intention to potentially offer permanent positions and pensions. As a response, the pilot initiative KAFA Perdana will be introduced to facilitate an increase in working
hours and days for KAFA teachers. Discussions with the Ministry of Finance are ongoing concerning allowance payments for teachers participating in this pilot program, contingent upon the country’s financial situation and the necessary approvals from relevant authorities.
He emphasized the commitment of the government, through JAKIM, to continually safeguard and enhance the welfare of approximately 35,000 KAFA teachers, who play a pivotal role in advancing Islamic education in the nation.
In addition, Mohd Na’im mentioned that JAKIM has issued a Malaysia Halal Certification Circular. This directive stipulates that applications for Malaysian halal certification should be handled personally by the applicants, without involving third parties. However, companies are not prohibited from hiring external consultants for developing their halal management systems, provided these consultants ensure compliance with halal certification requirements.
Furthermore, Mohd Na’im highlighted strengthened collaboration between
JAKIM and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to address issues related to deviant teachings. This includes enhanced information sharing and enforcement coordination to remove harmful content from social media platforms.
In a separate development, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), M. Kulasegaran, stated that the proposal to amend the Federal Capital Act 1960, which would allow city administration to function similarly to a state’s local authority with local councillors, will receive careful consideration. Kulasegaran, speaking on behalf of Dr Zaliha Mustafa, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), during a debate, indicated that subsequent steps would be taken by the minister, including organizing meetings between the mayor, key stakeholders, and Members of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur.