KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) reminded mosque managements to uphold good governance and adhere to financial guidelines to prevent any corrupt practices in its finance management.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (prevention) Datuk Seri Norazlan Mohd Razali said that the mosque should also improve on its communication effectiveness when addressing issues related to the management and administration of the mosque to avoid bad impressions and slander.
"In order to mitigate this risk and prevent corruption, it is also recommended that the mosque's management and committee can ensure that the mosque's finances are managed in accordance with the governance, financial guidelines and regulations that are in force and are administered in a trustworthy, transparent, fair and ethical manner," he said in his speech today.
He was delivering the speech during the closing ceremony of the Mosque Community Corruption Eradication Program with the Association of Malaysian Scholars (PUM) held at Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan here today.
The programme was co-organised with Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi).
Also present was Kuala Lumpur MACC director Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Husin.
Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Hakimah Mohd Yusoff said that all members of the mosque committee are responsible to ensure that the financial resources are managed with full trust and integrity.
She said that the mosque funds are a trust of the public where the mosque congregants have contributed through donations.
She stressed that its funds must be managed and spent in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the rules that have been set by Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and JAWI in order to avoid abuse of power and leakages.
"We do not want in newspaper and news reports that there are mosque officials or committees brought to court on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
"It will certainly leave a negative image of mosques and surau institutions that should be an example of financial management with integrity," she said reading the speech text on behalf of Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar.
Around 150 mosque management committee members from six Federal Territory zones attended the event held earlier today.
They also took oath to the Corruption-Free Pledge at the end of the event.
