RM400 Aidilfitri aid for Kafa teachers, mosque officials

BUTTERWORTH: The government today an Aidilfitri aid of RM400 for religious and Fardu Ain (Kafa) teachers and mosque officials, comprising the imam, muezzin (bilal) and caretaker (siak) nationwide.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the aid was approved today.
"On the order of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, I today approved a contribution of Hari Raya Aidilfitri aid for Kafa teachers, imam, bilal and tok siak. We give RM400 like the amount received by civil servants at the federal level.
"I have approved and signed it today. I'll issue an official statement tomorrow," he said in his speech at a breaking of fast at Masjid Jamek Kubang Buaya here today.
Lim, when met after the event, said the aid would be disbursed as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, on the re-negotiation over the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project, Lim said the government still had to discuss the matter.
"We will have to have a discussion to summarise our findings before we proceed down to Singapore. That will not be so soon, but we hope it will not be too long either. Remember, we are still in the midst of Hari Raya. Let us celebrate first," he said.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke told a media conference in Putrajaya today that Malaysia would send three ministers, comprising Lim, Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and himself to Singapore to re-negotiate on the HSR project.
Last May 28, Dr Mahathir confirmed that Malaysia was scrapping the HSR project and the possibility of paying penalties of up to RM500 million to Singapore.
The HSR project, which spans 335 kilometres and involves four states, will connect Kuala Lumpur with Singapore. The project is scheduled for completion in 2026. — Bernama