KUCHING: Majlis Islam Sarawak has called on all mosque management committees to ensure optimum cleanliness levels at mosques and surau to ensure these places of worship are free from negative perceptions.
MIS president, Datuk Misnu Taha, urged all management committee members to ensure the cleanliness of mosques is maintained as it is an important aspect that reflects the image of Islam to others.
“The mosque is grand, the dome is beautiful, and its value is worth millions, but if cleanliness is not maintained, what can we be proud of to show to others when the trust to take care of the mosque is not carried out properly,” he asked.
Misnu urged mosque management committees to also ensure all toilet facilities such as hoses and faucets are fully functional for the daily use of mosque congregants.
“The state government always provides sufficient funds for every area to ensure the cleanliness of toilets and the mosque landscape is well-managed,” he said during a contribution presentation ceremony at the Islamic Complex Kuching Hall on March 29.
Therefore, Misnu said the MIS has established a star rating initiative on the cleanliness of toilets and the environment of mosques and surau as a benchmark on cleanliness.
In addition, Misnu also recommended that mosque management committees nominate imams, bilals or caretakers for mosques that have not filled these positions.
“If in the past, imams and bilals were only given RM1,000 a year, now with assistance from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia and the Sarawak government, imam and bilal allowances exceed RM1,000 per month.
“The federal government provides RM850 per month, and the state government provides RM450 per month for a single imam,” he added.
MIS donated RM1,000 to the mosque management committees in 1,560 mosques and surau throughout Sarawak.
Also present were Deputy Minister of Utilities and Telecommunications (Utilities), Datuk Abdul Rahman Junaidi, and the Director of the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department, Khalidi Ibrahim.
