Malaysia to Open 121 More Religious Schools by 2013

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - A total of 121 Islamic religious schools will be built in Malaysian state of Johor by 2013 to accommodate 100,000 students, said Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.  He said the RM294 million project would be funded by Kuwait Finance House (Malaysia) Berhad while the construction would be carried out by Mysysnet Development Sdn Bhd.  "The financing is one way to address the pressing needs of building religious schools in the state.  "If the state continues to rely on an annual allocation, we could afford to build only six schools a year," he told reporters after witnessing the signing ceremony of the project between Kuwait Finance House and MysysNet Development here today.  The first phase of the project involving 26 schools is scheduled for completion in December next year in time for the first session in 2013.  Abdul Ghani said the loan repayments would take 15 years and 300 class E and F contractors would be involved in building the schools.  "The project is a landmark in the history of the Johor religious education system which has now spanned over 100 years," he added.  Kuwait Finance House chief executive officer Jamelah Jamaluddin said apart from financing the project through Tawarruq Murabahah facilities, the company would also contribute equipment to the school resource centres.  Currently, Johor has 552 religious schools with 210,000 students and 5,000 teachers.  Off the schools, 386 have their own buildings while the rest are using sekolah kebangsaan and community halls or renting business premises.  Kuwait Finance House Shariah Committee chairman Sheikh Prof Dr Mohammad Abdul Razaq Al-Tabtabae was present./129