KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 29 — The state government will increase the number of Shariah enforcement officers in Terengganu next year, to empower Islamic religious departments and bodies in the state.
State Shariah Implementation, Education and Higher Education Committee chairman Datuk Satipul Bahri Mamat said the measure was taken as the existing Shariah enforcement officers were insufficient to cover the duties of Shariah enforcement in Terengganu.
“So far we have 85 enforcement officers, comprising 62 men and 23 women.
“It is indeed a small number and cannot accommodate the increase in the state’s population which has reached 1.2 million people and the addition of a new district, namely Kuala Nerus,” he said during the question and answer session at the Terengganu state legislative assembly sitting at Wisma Darul Iman, here today.
He said this in reply to a question from Hilmi Harun (PAS-Manir) regarding the number of Shariah enforcement officers in each district in the state.
Satipul Bahri also said that the state government would increase the number of Shariah enforcement volunteers to assist Shariah enforcement officers in carrying out their tasks.
According to him, the list of volunteers had been submitted to the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maidam) for approval. — Bernama
