THE Islamic Council of Sarawak (MIS) was established on May 1, 1955 under the Islamic Council Incorporation Ordinance 1954.
It was stated that it is responsible for formulating policies and administering Islamic affairs in the state of Sarawak.
Thus, since its establishment, various efforts have been implemented by MIS to empower Muslims in this state not only on the issue of community development but also involving education.
New Sarawak Tribune (NST) spoke to MIS President Datuk Misnu Taha on the development of MIS and its role in maintaining unity in the state.
NST: What programmes or initiatives are being carried out by MIS to overcome current issues related to religion and society in Sarawak?
Misnu: Whatever happens in Sarawak, we practise a culture of mutual respect regardless of our religious or ethnic background. We value unity and respect diversity. On the basis of this, we created the Sarawak Islamic Information Centre (IIC) in Kuching. So far, the Muslim community in Sarawak has not had many problems. I mean, of course there are but none we cannot deal with.
We also have no problem with other religions in Sarawak. At Long Busang, Belaga, we were requested by the Muslim community there to build a mosque even though it is close to a church there. We in Sarawak are very lucky because Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg provides allocations to Muslims and also to followers of other religions through the Unit for Other Religious Affairs (UNIFOR).
NST: Can you share about the development of the International Islamic Religious School?
Misnu: We will build the Sarawak International Islamic High School on about 10 acres of land along Jalan Diplomatik. Construction will begin early next year and it will be equipped with various basic facilities including dormitories, classrooms and laboratories.
Currently, we have Maahad Tahfiz Abdul Rahman Ya’kub (MATTARY) and soon we will build Sarawak International Islamic High School. It is expected to be completed in 2027 and we will start recruiting the first cohort of full boarding school students in that year as well.
This school will also use the international syllabus which is Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah, Singapore and Cambridge International Curriculum. At the same time, it will also have a syllabus for mathematics, science, physics and all subjects of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).
I have been informed that the criteria to enter the school is that students must be fluent in English and Arabic languages and that they have also memorised the Quran. Currently, the Bureau of Education Services (BPP) is actively working on school policy matters including curriculum, staff, student recruitment, aspects of school funding and teacher training.
Therefore, when the school is fully operational there will be 500 students who will use the National Curriculum, the Tahfiz and Hafazan Curriculum and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) curriculum.
NST: How does MIS play a role in ensuring a religious spirit can be nurtured and preserved among the younger generation?
Misnu: The Islamic Council is not just one department, under MIS we have the Sarawak State Mufti Department, and many more. There are various programmes implemented by our departments as well. They also go to the field to organise various activities that involve the youth.
For example, we organise dialogue sessions with the youth. We try our best to implement various programmes with these people and give them the freedom to express their views or give suggestions. This is important so that we can listen to their need for religious institutions.
NST: What is the role of MIS in the social development and welfare of the Sarawak community in general?
Misnu: We now know that youth, students and adults all struggle with a variety of social issues. To reach the community and young people, we have organised a number of programmes. For example, in addition to the Counselling Unit, the Islamic Religious Department also has a dedicated unit for youth monitoring. Because various people have different difficulties and occasionally require different approaches, we also have the Mufti Department, which will go into programmes for solutions.
NST: How does MIS want to achieve its mission and vision?
Misnu: We work hard to produce the best Muslims who can benefit the state and the nation. We place a high value on education, and we believe that by imparting knowledge to our children, both Muslims and non-Muslims will benefit from it in the future. Additionally, we support any initiatives by any organisation to aid them (young people). At Tabung Baitulmal, we have a programme called the Akademi Latihan Insan (ALI). This three-day training aims to enhance the participants’ abilities by teaching them a variety of technical skills, such as the fundamentals of accounting principles and many more.
Many among the public are not aware that MIS also offers a scholarship (Ibnu Khaldun) to enable Muslim children to pursue their education to the fullest. We often start providing support at the masters’ level. For those who want to study religion in the Middle East, just reach out to us; we will send you there. Those with an interest in the Islamic finance field are also welcome to come to us, but they must first be accepted into the university, and the course must fit the needs of the state’s development. In most cases, Baitulmal will give them start-up support (pocket money) before they receive our scholarship.
NST: How does MIS use technology to update online services?
Misnu: At the Islamic Religious Department, we have developed a portal called KISWA; anything related to the department appears there. In addition, the department has also developed the Jejak Halal application, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, to check whether certain foods are halal or not. We also use digital technology to disseminate da’wah.
Islamic agencies fall under the umbrella of Islam, and the Islamic Religious Department serves as the MIS’ secretariat. In addition, we have the Syariah Justice Department, IIC, Mufti Department, and Tabung Baitulmal. The only department without a council is the Mufti Department, but it is under one minister.
Since MIS is part of the state government, we have our own power over everything that occurs in Malaysia. We will discuss which of the national and state fatwas can be applied depending on the circumstances of the state (this falls under the Mufti’s purview).
NST: What are the future plans of MIS?
Misnu: InsyaAllah, we will build the Ibnu Khaldun Gallery at IIC; it is already in planning and awaiting approval. Any information on Islamic knowledge or the general knowledge of Muslim scholars will be gathered in this gallery. The gallery is also interactive, making it very suitable for any of our students who want to learn or are looking for books.
In addition, we will also organise the regional mosques summit (Muktamar Masjid-Masjid Serantau) this year. There will be sharing of knowledge between us and mosques in other places, such as Qatar, the peninsula, Brunei, Turkiye, England, and others. As a final outcome, we will apply for regional mosque strategic and smart networking, where we will link our mosque to other mosques so that information may be shared through networking. We no longer need to travel somewhere to share knowledge, thanks to technology. We will hold a workshop to refine this summit resolution.
