PENANG BECOME FIRST STATE TO LAUNCH GAZA FUNDRAISING PROJECT AT MOSQUES

GEORGE TOWN, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- The Penang State Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) has launched a fundraising project at mosques across Penang to assist families in Gaza, Palestine, so they can continue their lives.

MAINPP President Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid said Penang is the pioneer for this project, which is being implemented by MAINPP in collaboration with the Muslim Organisation Consultative Council of Malaysia (MAPIM) and Nurul Islam Foundation.

"In 2023 and 2024, we launched a fund, and the state government also contributed. We sent all those collections, which amounted to more than RM1 million, to Gaza in early 2024 through the Prime Minister's Department, and after that, we launched a fund for orphans in Gaza.

"This year, MAINPP, in collaboration with Nurul Islam Foundation and MAPIM, launched a fundraising project at 245 mosques to help 'adopt' families in Gaza. We will also discuss conducting a special collection to build a mosque in Gaza because many have been destroyed," he said at the Thanksgiving, Yassin Recitation, and Safety Prayer Ceremony for the Gaza Adopted Family Project at Al-Bukhary Mosque here tonight.

The ceremony was also attended by the Mufti of Penang, Prof Madya Datuk Dr Mohd Sukki Othman, MAPIM Chairman Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, and Nurul Islam Foundation Chairman Prof Madya Dr Shaik Abdullah Hassan.

Meanwhile, Shaik Abdullah said the funds will be used to support the adopted families in Gaza, including for education, health, tents, and rebuilding their destroyed homes.

He mentioned that the project is being carried out at mosques in Penang as a pioneer project before it is expanded to other states in the future, and mosques were chosen due to their location as focal points for the Muslim community.

"We will place 'QR' codes at the mosques for the public to contribute. Phase one of the Gaza adopted family programme began last Ramadan.

"We are supporting 33 adopted families there by channeling a donation of RM500 to each family, and Alhamdulillah, it has been implemented for a year with the cooperation and support provided by MAPIM," he said.

Despite facing various challenges in sending financial aid, he stated that the contributions were successfully delivered through cooperation with MAPIM, which has representatives in Gaza.

-- BERNAMA