GEORGE TOWN, May 12 ― Penang has submitted an application for a RM3.1 million funding from Putrajaya to build a new city mosque in Batu Kawan, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said the state hoped that the application for the additional funding will be approved soon.

The Penang lawmaker said the state has allocated RM500,000 to the Islamic religious affairs portfolio to strengthen Islam in the state for 2021.

"Recognising the importance of nurturing future talents, Penang will continue with its KAFA Menengah (KAFA-M) and Pulau Pinang Mengajar (PPM) programmes that were introduced two years ago under the Yayasan Islam Pulau Pinang,” he said in his Hari Raya message today.

He said an annual grant of RM800,000 was approved for the programmes which focused on mostly secondary school students.

The Penang state government is also in the process of building an Islamic education centre, Pusat Pendidikan Al-Itqan, on a three-acre wakaf land in Kampung Masjid, Teluk Kumbar.

The school, which will consist of four blocks with 51 classrooms and four science laboratories, is expected to complete by the end of 2022 and fully operational in early 2023.

"In line with Penang2030, the state government hopes that all commitments and planned development will be inclusive, just and sustainable including the implementation of Gagasan Khaira Ummah 2030 which was launched to support the administration of Islam as the official religion of the state,” he said.

Chow said this year's Raya celebrations will be muted under the Movement Control Order (MCO) and hoped that the public will comply with the SOPs of the MCO.

He said the decision to implement the MCO and strict SOPs were necessary to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

He said the state administration fully understands the issues faced by the public during this period and hoped that the public will look at the strict SOPs positively.