Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the effort was to fulfil the need of the Muslim community in Cambodia and to ensure that each Muslim family would have at least one copy of the Quran.
“There are about 500,000 Muslims in Cambodia and there is only one Quran for every six families. So, we hope generous Malaysians can assist Cambodian Muslims through this programme so that each family will have at least one Quran,” he told Malaysian journalists here Thursday.
Ahmad Zahid had earlier handed over 10,200 copies of donated Quran to the president of the Cambodian Islamic Community Development Foundation Othsman Hassan and Cambodia mufti Kamaruddion Yusof at Chrouk Romeat Mosque in Kampung Chhnang and Amar bin Yazid Mosque at KM9, to be distributed to Muslims here.
The minister said the programme aimed to print and distribute 20,000 copies of the Quran annually over a period of five years and this was expected to commence from the month of Ramadan next year.
“Translation of the Quran into the Khmer language has been completed and we are only waiting for sufficient funds to print the copies of Quran,” he said.
Earlier, speaking before 1,500 Cambodian Muslims at Chrouk Romeat Mosque, Ahmad Zahid said the 10,200 copies of Quran given away today showed the concern of the Malaysian government and people towards Muslims in Cambodia.
Kamaruddin said he was touched and thankful for the gift of the Quran, adding that the Cambodian Muslim community depended on outside help for copies of the Holy Book.
“We hope there will be enough Quran for us in future,” he added.
At the two presentation ceremonies, Ahmad Zahid also handed over 500 Muqaddam booklets and 1,000 prayer rugs for use by the Cambodian Muslims.
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