Minister of Religious Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman provided updates on the utilisation of the Brunei Darussalam Mosque Construction Fund during the eighth day of the 21st Legislative Council (LegCo) yesterday.
The management of the fund is administered by the Secretariat of the Brunei Darussalam Mosque Construction Fund, Mosque Affairs Department at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA).
A temporary committee has been given mandate and responsibility for the fund, namely the construction and disbursement of the Brunei Darussalam Mosque Construction Fund to mobilise and guide before the Board is established.
The Mosque Affairs Department has implemented various efforts to encourage the public to donate to the Brunei Darussalam Mosque Construction Fund. These include holding exclusive forums in the districts, tazkirah at mosques or through media, Friday sermons, providing e-posters and including donations via short message service (SMS) in collaboration with telecommunication companies.
Since the establishment of the fund, several projects have been implemented which include construction of new mosques such as Ar-Rahman Mosque in Kampong Tanjung Bunut, Ar-Rahim Mosque in Kampong Bukit Panggal and As-Salaam Mosque in Kampong Junjongan.
This also include additions to mosque buildings such as Kampong Sungai Buloh Mosque and Kampong Kupang Mosque, as well as mosque maintenance in Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Wakeel Mosque in Mukim Kiudang, Sultan Sharif Ali Mosque in Mukim Sengkurong and Kampong Pulaie Mosque.
For the new mosque construction plan, several proposals have actually been allocated in the five-year plan for the use of the Mosque Construction Fund (2018-2022) namely Kampong Lamunin which will be brought to the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) for support and approval.
The proposed new Kampong Ukong mosque in the process of re-opening the tender.
Regarding the report on the breakdown of expenditures of the Brunei Darussalam Mosque Construction Fund, a complete report has actually been made and presented to the Fund Collection and Disbursement Committee for the Construction of Brunei Darussalam Mosque; MUIB and the Auditor General of the Audit Department at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The total amount of the fund since it was established in June 2015 until December 2024 is BND37,392,933,31, with an estimated balance of more than two million.
The minister also responded to a query posed by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Haji Mohamad Danial @ Tekpin bin Ya’akub on plans to establish a special committee or use artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor religious activities on social media such as independent speakers, heretical teachings and the like.
Under the Syariah Affairs Department, there are two committees responsible for monitoring and supervising religious activities, including heretical teachings and private preaching groups.
Both committees also investigate and study tariqat groups, and update the criteria for banning congregations and religious groups in Brunei Darussalam. – Fadhil Yunus
