Jawi plans to build new Al-Quran disposal centre in Bukit Jalil

PORT KLANG, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) is planning to build a new Al-Quran disposal centre in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur to ensure copies of the Holy Book are disposed of in the correct manner.

Its director Datuk Mohd Ajib Ismail said the Darul Kalam Al-Quran Disposal Centre in Raudhatul Sakinah, Taman Selasih, Kuala Lumpur has so far only been able to dispose of 150 kilogrammes (kg) of damaged or destroyed copies of the Al-Quran in a day.

According to him, with the new disposal centre, disposal of copies of Al-Quran can be increased by three times compared to the existing rate, which is up to around half a ton per day using modern technology.

"If it is approved and there is an allocation, the disposal process will be faster because we have done it with several parties and it uses more advanced technology, not manually.

"So far, (the construction of the disposal centre) is still in the pipeline and we will inform the higher authorities to get budget approval and so on," he told reporters after the JAWI Al-Quran Glorification Programme with the Marine Department of Malaysia here today.

Earlier, a total of 6.8 tonnes of al-Quran ashes in the form of blocks were brought on board the MVPEDOMAN vessel 12 nautical miles from Port Klang to be disposed of in the middle of the ocean.

Mohd Ajib said the ashes were the result of more than 30,800kg of Al-Quran copies that were damaged or destroyed due to floods around Pahang and Selangor last year and copies sent by several other parties to be disposed of.

"This programme was held in cooperation with the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp), the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the Federal Territories Mufti's Office, and the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP).

"We have a procedure to handle it such as outlined by the 30th National Fatwa Committee meeting which convened on Aug 22, 1992, which suggested that the damaged al-Quran be burned, buried or disposed of in the middle of the sea where the water flows," he said.

-- BERNAMA