Sabah religious teachers must protect people's harmony

KOTA KINABALU: Religious teachers play an important role in guiding and moulding a noble attitude among the people and contributing to the harmony of the multi-racial and multi-religious people in Sabah.
Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman said the state government always recognised and appreciated the role and contribution of religious teachers to transform good knowledge, good manners and noble attitudes among the ummah to enable the state's development to run smoothly.
"In facing challenges as educators, we need religious scholars who are not only serving as religious teachers in the classroom, but are also responsible for improving, leading and guiding.
"Since lately, there are certain parties who try to play religious sentiments to undermine religious harmony in our country.
"Issues like these, if not dealt with well and wisely, can lead to prolonged conflicts and squabbles as is happening in other countries," he said when opening the state-level 'Multaqa Murabbi Ummah' here today.
Musa reminded the people to be cautious about the attempts of certain groups, especially the opposition, who used racial and religious sentiments to instigate the people.
According to him, the united solidarity among the various races in the state would strengthen the government's efforts to develop the people and the state.
"We also need to thank Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for giving a lot of funding for Sabah's development.
"This is also a result of good relations between the state and the central government which is always concerned about the needs of the people in Sabah," he said.
At the ceremony, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki presented a check of RM47,502,648 to Musa representing the state government for the payment of the remuneration of the imam, Al-Quran and Fardu Ain class teachers (KAFA) and 'takmir' teachers in the state.
Asyraf Wajdi also presented a check of RM7,380,000 for a one-off special payment to the imam. bilal, siak, KAFA and takmir teachers in the state who will receive RM1,500 each. — Bernama