| Fizah HAB |
THE Brunei Darussalam Mosque Construction Fund has managed to raise B$6,438,587.67 since its inception on June 4, 2015 as a result of positive support from government officers as well as members of the public donating to the fund for the past two years, said Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Mohd Yusof, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs during a recent press conference at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
The press conference highlighted the construction of the first mosque under the Mosque Construction Fund, Kampong Tanjung Bunut Mosque, foundation laying ceremony of which was held yesterday.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman in his capacity as the President of the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) attended the event.
During the press conference, the permanent secretary explained some of the common enquiries over the Mosque Construction Fund.
“The Mosque Construction Fund is dedicated for the construction of new mosques as well as expansion and renovation of existing mosques,” he said.
“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, and presentation of contribution to Mosque Affairs Department, contribution through donation boxes at mosques and certain buildings and contribution through SMS,” he added.
The contribution is not mandatory and each individual has the right to choose either not to participate in the scheme or increase the amount.
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.
The Mosque Construction Fund aims to collect $18 million under a five-year plan (2018-2023), with the average annualised collection of $3 million. The fund will be channelled into construction of four to five new mosques, expansion of six mosques as well as renovation of four mosques, the permanent secretary said.
The post Mosque Construction Fund mobilises 6.4M in 2 years appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.