Hakim Hayat
Despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of Religious Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman said religious activities and services have been carried out using digital technology, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) intends to ramp up its digitalisation plans for its services.
“We were operating in the midst of COVID-19 but the implementation of plans went ahead, although there were challenges delaying them.
“Religious services in the areas of education, dakwah, mosque affairs, zakat, like other government services, took advantage of the new norms, especially in the utilisation of digital technology.”
He made the remarks while tabling the MoRA’s budget for the fiscal year 2022/2023 at the fourth day of the 18th Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting yesterday.
MoRa has proposed a budget of BND280,936,340 , including a development expenditure of BND19,030,000.
He highlighted some of MoRA’s budget priorities with strategies including the focus of spending on religious education sector for all Muslims; maintenance of assets that need urgent attention; the staggered addition of more officers and staff in Religious Affairs Departments in districts especially to support effective dakwah, the filling of and addition of posts in mosques and also for law enforcement; and in encouraging halal certification activities that has the potential to be developed and accredited by other countries wanting to obtain Halal Brunei certification.
