RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS MINISTRY TO BUILD 100 MOSQUES IN 2010

Jakarta, Jan 26 (ANTARA) - Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said his office was planning to build around 100 new mosques in 2010 with money from the Community Endowment Fund or DAU to help Muslims in building places of worship.

The minister made the remark at the corner stone laying function of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)'s building here Tuesday, adding that he had discussed the plann with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

NU is the largest Muslims organization in Indonesia.

According to the minister, a team has been learning the legal rules of the Community Endowment Funds utilization, in a bid to avoid any problem on the use of the funds in the future.

Suryadharma estimated that the Muslims' funds saved in the DAU currently reaches Rp22 trillion, adding if the legal rules are clear, only the funds interest that will be used.

Regarding the NU's four-storey office building which needs a total funds of around Rp 5.5 billion, the Minister hoped that the building will not be used as dormitory or misused.

The minister did not mention the total number of new mosques are actually needed by Muslims accross the country. Indonesia has more than 200 million people mostly are Muslims.