PETALING JAYA: Young Budhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) regrets that the allocation of grants benefitting non-Islamic organisations was not announced during Budget 2023.
“The Ministry of National Unity received an allocation totalling RM50 million from the ‘Budget 2021’ and the ‘Budget 2022’ for eligible non-Islamic religious organisations to apply for the repairs, maintenance, and emergency work of non-Islamic religious places of worship (POW).
“The non-Islamic religious organisations including Buddhist societies, temples, and churches, are where Malaysians of different religions, races, beliefs, and cultures fulfill their responsibilities as a devotee, playing a key role in self-purification and shaping a harmonious society.
“The repairs, maintenance and emergency grants provided last year and this year have been timely and have gone a long way towards reducing the financial burden of the management of non-Islamic POW,“ YBAM said in a statement today.
YBAM pleaded that the non-Islamic religious organisations need the government’s attention and assistance to tide over the difficulties, and also ensure that the safety of non-Islamic religious POW is not neglected.
“YBAM hopes that the next government will continue to provide measures implemented in 2021 and 2022 by including the allocation of grants allocated to non-Islamic religious organisations in the Budget 2023,“ YBAM added.
These grants enable non-Islamic organisations to carry out proper repairs, maintenance, and emergency work on their POW, providing a safe, comfortable, and functional space for devotees to conduct ceremonies and activities, it added.
“This also allows non-Islamic organisations to continue their role in promoting national integration and unity advocated in the ‘National Unity Action Blueprint 2021-2030’.”
