RM2.8mil of Qurans seized

PUTRAJAYA: Uncertified Qurans and Quranic materials worth RM2.8mil have been seized by the Home Ministry.

Home Ministry enforcement and control division secretary Nik Yusaimi Yussof said the seizures were made following Ops Mulia throughout March this year.

“This division conducted 1,082 inspections on various premises nationwide and seized a total of 6,962 Qurans as well as 12,767 Quranic materials.

“Based on our checks, these items are estimated to be worth at least RM2.8mil,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Nik Yusaimi said checks revealed that a number of them were printed by companies that were not licensed to print Qurans.

“During our checks, we also seized various frames and artwork which had Quranic verses that were illegible.

“According to the Printing of Qur’anic Texts Act 1986, any Quran publishing must obtain Home Ministry certification, involving expert review, before circulation in the country,” he said, adding that 164 individuals were detained for offences under the same Act.

He said the Home Ministry, through his division, was working towards the goal of having zero uncertified Qurans in circulation nationwide.

“Throughout Ops Mulia, we also conducted the Jom Exchange Al-Quran programme in line with this goal. We managed to exchange 6,464 uncertified Qurans worth RM260,000 under the programme,” said Nik Yusaimi, adding that the Qurans were exchanged for free.

Nik Yusaimi urged the public to only purchase Qurans and other publications approved by the Home Ministry.

“There are currently 965 types of Quran publications that have been approved by the Home Ministry either to be sold, owned or distributed among the community.

“Therefore, the general public is urged not to choose uncertified Quran copies by ensuring that the copy of the Quran they are buying has a certification stamp and a Home Ministry hologram sticker,” he said.