Kuala lumpur: The government today announced the launch of the Malaysia Tahfiz Recognition Standard (SPTM), which will be gradually implemented beginning next year, as stated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the SPTM aims to improve the quality of tahfiz education and provide formal recognition for huffaz (memorisers of the Quran) and tahfiz institutions.
As part of this initiative, the top 10 tahfiz institutions that demonstrate exceptional performance based on SPTM criteria will each receive an incentive of RM50,000. 'This is not merely a figure or a monetary reward, but a motivational boost to encourage tahfiz institutions to continuously improve their quality and best practices, and to become centres of excellence that can, insya-Allah, serve as models for tahfiz institutions in Malaysia,' Ahmad Zahid stated. He made these remarks during the opening of the 2025 Huffaz Gathering and Nusantara Da'wah Symphony at Masjid Tuminah Hamidi.
The event was attended by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Dr Zulkifli Hasan, along with more than 25,000 huffaz and members of the public.
Ahmad Zahid further mentioned that the tahfiz education ecosystem will be strengthened under the National Tahfiz Education Policy (DPTN) through clear policies, standards, and governance frameworks. 'Through the implementation of the DPTN 1.0, it has been found that 84 per cent of the policy measures have been coordinated and implemented across tahfiz maahad nationwide,' he added.
Currently, there are 1,401 tahfiz institutions with 10,081 asatizah (teachers) and a total of 61,494 students participating in this new education ecosystem. Under DPTN 2.0, several key instruments, such as the Malaysia Tahfiz Education Model (MPTM) and the Malaysia Tahfiz Certificate (STM) 2.0, have been enhanced.
He also highlighted the achievements of tahfiz education at local universities, including Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN). 'At UniKL, 90 per cent of the students in the Faculty of Aerospace are huffaz,' Ahmad Zahid noted. Additionally, 93 per cent of students in the Faculty of Marine Engineering have become huffaz, and at UNITEN, 534 huffaz are pursuing engineering programmes, with many achieving a CGPA of 3.5 and above.
During the event, Ahmad Zahid also witnessed the signing of 10 strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (JAKIM) and state religious agencies, institutions of higher learning, and skills institutions. These MoUs involve programmes like the Diploma in Tahfiz al-Quran and al-Qiraat, and the SPHB programme. The gathering also featured a talk by renowned preacher Ustaz Prof Dr Abdul Somad Batubara.