| James Kon |
MUSLIM government servants who receive a monthly pay will see a deduction of B$2 from their salary as contribution towards the Mosque Construction Fund, starting June 2017.
The contribution is not mandatory and each individual has the right to choose either not to participate in the scheme or increase the amount. The decision to make the automatic deduction was announced by Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in a press conference held at Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah yesterday.
“According to the circular 10/2017 from Ministry of Religious Affairs dated March 28, 2017, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented to support Brunei Islamic Religious Council in establishing an automatic monthly deduction of B$2 from each Muslim government servant’s salary to be contributed to the Mosque Construction Fund,” he explained.
Government servants, who would not want to participate in the contribution scheme or like to increase their monthly contribution, can do so through the finance division of each ministry or department by filling in a dedicated form, he said, adding that government employees who have already started participating in the fund through salary contribution are encouraged to increase their contribution.
“Non-Muslim government servants are also encouraged to contribute to the Mosque Construction Fund.”
Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs
Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs at the press conference. – PHOTOS: JAMES KON
The permanent secretary pointed out that if there is no response from government servants regarding their decision to contribute or not to the fund by May 31, 2017, then B$2 will automatically be deducted from their salaries, starting June 2017.
The Mosque Construction Fund was launched on June 4, 2015 and until March 2017, a total of B$4,951,861.40 has been collected. Of this, B$780,608.61 was collected from 5,031 government servants through the monthly deduction of salary.
The first project that benefited from the Mosque Construction Fund is the construction of Kampong Tanjung Bunut mosque that cost $3.5 million.
Meanwhile, the collection for the fund is ongoing through various modes such as standing order contributions, permanent instruction to deduct money from bank account, direct walk-in contribution, presentation of contribution to Mosque Affairs Department, contribution through donation boxes at mosques and certain buildings, contribution through SMS, pay cut of officers and staff from government and government-linked companies and contribution through transfer to the Mosque Construction Fund’s bank account numbers 00-001-01-0047148 (Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam) and 002109403102068 (Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei).
FOR A NOBLE CAUSE
• Until March 2017, Mosque Construction Fund collected B$4,951,861
• B$780,608 mobilised from 5,031 government servants
• Contribute through BIBD 00-001-01-0047148, TAIB 002109403102068
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