MAIWP celebrates 100 newlywed couples at Dataran Merdeka

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- A total of 100 newlywed couples were celebrated in the Walimatul Urus Perdana programme, organised by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP), at Dataran Merdeka, today.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, who officiated the ceremony, said that all 100 newlywed couples who celebrated today, in conjunction with the MAIWP Carnival 2023, were asnaf (those eligible to receive zakat or tithe) or converts.

He said that, through the MAIWP marriage assistance scheme, all couples also received RM2,000 and a set of wedding attire and jewellery.

Mohd Na'im said that the aid scheme was introduced in 2006, to ease the burden on couples holding wedding receptions.

“MAIWP assisted a total of 412 beneficiaries, with an expenditure of RM1.08 million, under the scheme last year,” he told a press conference after the ceremony.

Earlier in his speech, Mohd Na'im also launched the ‘Jom Kahwin’ campaign in the Federal Territories, which aims to encourage more people, especially young couples in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan to start a family.

"The most important basis for this campaign is for them to be given knowledge and appreciation on their responsibilities and roles in starting a family, that is sakinah (calmness), mawaddah (mutual love) and rahmah (compassion)," he said.

The event, themed 'Nostalgia Adat Istiadat Kegemilangan Melayu Islam’, witnessed all the brides and grooms being ferried on the KL Hop On Hop Off bus around Jalan Raja Laut, before being seated on the wedding dais on the podium at Dataran Merdeka.

Interestingly, the marriage solemnisation of two couples was performed by Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) director, Datuk Mohd Ajib Ismail, ‘live’ here.

Meanwhile, MAIWP chairman, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar, said that his office was planning to turn this event into an annual affair.

Also present were the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s secretary-general, Datuk Saraya Arbi and MAIWP acting chief executive officer, Mohd Nizam Yahya.

-- BERNAMA